Possessors of the Clow
by EndlessAsgard
Summary: The Valentines Dance is not what Sakura had hoped. Syaoran is nowhere to be found and the tension is mounting. Can she without his help prevail the seemingly hopeless situation? Chp 13 is up: Darkness fallen; the conclusion to the Dance Saga
1. Sakura and New Beginnings

Distant Voices, part 1: Sakura and New Beginnings  
  
The bare trees swayed in the blowing wind. Together they swayed, back and forth, a calm dance to a quiet ballad of harmony. In her bed a girl slept. Soundly she did with pleasant dreams of ones she loved and those she hoped or wished she had the love of. The soft white cloth of the window drapes gently swayed in the wind as it came across the open portal. The girl's amber hair rustled slightly as the wind picked up a small amount. The white light of the moon poured into this girl's room as if to light her way and protect her but it fell short of her only reaching the side of her bed.  
  
The wind began to pick up and the creek of the swaying trees became louder as if mimicking voices of evil veiled in darkness. The girl, still in slumber felt the chill of this wind on the pail skin of her fair face. She shivered and gripped her sheets in her small hands. The wind continued to grow, as did the girl's discomfort. As it came across the open window it began to sound more and more like a rasping voice calling to her in a low murmur. The girl moved about in her bed as if trying to escape a frightening dream.  
  
The wind blew, the trees creaked and the wind's voice continued to call. The girl was cold, very cold, as if she were in no bed at all but instead naked in a place alone with the wind swirling around her. With this state came an icy sweat making her all the more uncomfortable.  
  
The wind grew stronger and the voice became louder. It's menacing call penetrated through to the girl's dreams. The window was suddenly thrown open and almost off it's hinges by a terrible gust and with it the voice became a shrill scream that reached the girl's very soul! She awoke suddenly with a scream of her own but as she looked about her dark room she saw nothing; the wind was gone and there was no evil lurking in the darkness as far as she could see. This girl however had learned throughout her life not to believe her eyes but her feelings and her heart. They told her something was wrong, something had been there, there in her room with her and she felt very strongly that it meant her the greatest of harm. What had driven it away she couldn't tell. All she knew was that she now sat bathed in a pool of white light by the moon and she felt safe by it.  
  
The morning came and the girl bound down the stairs of her home dressed with her purse on her arm and her book bag on her back. She did so almost gracefully but at the bottom step she tripped over her own feet and fell forward. "Ahhh!" she squealed in a high tone as she plummeted forward. She was caught before hitting the ground however by the arms of a tall and kind faced man. The girl looked up at this man as her feet were firmly set upon the ground once again. "Daddy!" she bubbled. "Good morning!"  
  
The man smiled down at his daughter. "Good morning, Sakura. Are you ready?"  
  
"Yep!" Sakura biped as she ran for the door to put on her skates.  
  
"Wait!" her father called. "I have something for you."  
  
"Really?" Sakura bubbled again at the prospect of an unexpected gift. She skipped back over to her father and beamed up at him with an incorrigible smile. She watched as he reached into his pocket and took out an envelope with the impression of something solid in it.  
  
"Last night while downstairs in the library I came across something." He said. He removed something from the envelope. It was a beautiful faded-gold necklace with three clear red glimmering stones and a black cordage. Sakura's eyes grew wide with awe at it's beauty. "I found this in the binding of a very old book. It seemed to be a page marker of sorts." He said with a laugh. "It was a very odd book and I'd like to do more research on it but I'll be in and out of town for quite a while so I'd like you to hold onto it for me and keep it safe."  
  
"Thank you so much daddy! It's beautiful, I'll protect it! I promise!" Sakura said as her father fastened the necklace around her neck. She then went to put her skates on once again.  
  
"Are you sure it's a good idea to give it to her? She might lose it." There came a voice from the other room.  
  
"She'll do fine." Sakura's father said as a tall thin man with black hair walked into the room while still munching on breakfast.  
  
"Don't fall on your head on the way over, monster." The man said.  
  
"You don't have to worry about me, Touya." Sakura said to her brother as she went out the door and sped down her walkway only to fall down as she turned the corner.  
  
Life for Sakura Kinomoto since the completion of her tasks with the magical Cards made by Clow Reed so long ago had been what she would call normal for the most part. Four years had passed and little had changed. She still knew most of her good friends from the fourth and fifth grade and was as happy as could be. As happy, that is, as with the way things went.  
  
As Sakura skated she thought about her past, the things that happened, and the people she was and had been with. For some reason there seemed to be a heavy weight on her heart this morning since she left her house but she didn't know why, as if she was recalling a painful memory somewhere in within her mind. She suddenly felt something warm touch her face and she thought it odd, as it was the winter and very cold out. She felt it again and this time she gathered that it was wet. She suddenly stopped and leaned with one hand on a tree on the side of the street. She touched her cheek and was almost distressed by what she felt. Upon her hand and rosy cheeks were tears, she had not realized it but she had been crying.  
  
She stood for a moment and felt a breeze. It was a cold breeze. She could hear it also wisping through the bare branches of rows of trees along the streets. She was suddenly reminded of that night and she felt a bit scared. She looked around perhaps to find something or someone that would bring her comfort or security but in all oddity there were no people and no cars around; the streets were barren. The wind came through the trees more strongly and the voice of the wind returned. It was a high-pitched moan, which Sakura felt was coming from all around her. Sakura's lower lip quivered with a short squeak of fear and she then bolted for her destination without incident, whatever it was seemed to have gone away if it was there at all.  
  
She came to the door of a large house huffing and gasping for air. She managed to get a hand of her knees and push the doorbell. The door opened and in the foyer of the house stood a beautiful girl with long wavy black hair wearing a pretty dress. "Sakura?!" the girl exclaimed as she rushed over to her side. Sakura managed to stand up straight. "Hi Tomoyo!" She said happily.  
  
"That's a very pretty necklace!" The girl said taking immediate notice.  
  
"Thanks, my dad gave it to me."  
  
"You look so pretty with it on, but then again you can make anything look pretty!"  
  
"T- Tomoyo."  
  
The two friends went to Tomoyo's room. When they had closed the door behind them out from Sakura's purse came a little winged, orange, alive stuffed animal. "Why hello, Kero!" Tomoyo said as she gave him a cupcake and he would have proclaimed his undying love for her if his mouth didn't become immediately full.  
  
Tomoyo and Sakura were planning to have a weeklong sleep over with just the two of them and Kero. It was their winter break and school started soon so they decided to make the most of every second of it. First on Tomoyo's 'to do' list was to watch some of her old captures.  
  
Turning her attention away from Kero's appetite, Tomoyo looked over to Sakura who was sitting by a window looking out with a blank stare. Tomoyo sensed that something was amiss. "Sakura." She said softly getting the girl's attention. "Is there something the matter?"  
  
"What?" Sakura said slightly dazed. Tomoyo could tell that her mind was elsewhere. Sakura then looked away from the window and smiled mistily. "Oh, I'm fine. I've just been feeling a little weird today. On the way over I though I. well." Sakura trailed off.  
  
"What is it?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
Sakura started unzipping her book bag and reached inside it. "I'm not really sure. It almost felt like someone was following me but there was no one around." She said, perplexed. Her hand then came across something unexpected in her bag. "Huh?" She then pulled from her bag a small pink book.  
  
"The Clow?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"That's funny." Sakura said slowly holding the book with two hands examining it closely. "I don't remember putting it in my bag."  
  
Kero flew over to the girl and put a paw on her head. "You feeln' all right, kid?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Sakura said still starring at the cover of the book in a sort of trance. Sakura was beginning to feel very uneasy. "I must have put it in as I was packing." She said doubtfully. Setting the book aside she wished to place all her foreboding feeling aside with it but the feeling would only grow stronger throughout the day. She smiled and started unpacking the rest of her things and tried to forget it but in vain.  
  
Far away in the metropolitan area of Tomeda, the city of the Clow Mistress, there stood upon the top of a tall building an old inhabitant of the city. It was a boy with hair of dark brown and eyes that were deep with resolve and fortitude. He stared out over the city in search of something seemingly elusive, something hidden, something waiting for him. Waiting for he and the Clow Mistress. In his hands he held an ancient interment of Clow, the Derivator. With it he searched.  
  
In the sky where only the previous day there was only blue there was now dark clouds that came with the wind. It blew and the boy's green robes whipped fluttered as if the wind intended to steel them from him. The voice on the wind began to whale. The boy was struck with a sudden awareness. He knew what was on the wind, in the wind and all around him. His eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. "I know you're here." He said in a deep voice. "I've got to find her." He then said to himself. The boy concentrated upon the board in his hands and in its center a blue light flickered. From the board shot a ray of the blue light and it traveled into the distance for him to follow. "Sakura. I hope I'm not too late."  
  
For a time back at Tomoyo's house while the two girls were having tea and watching happenings of the past Sakura stayed strangely silent much of the time starring off into space. In her hands she held something she had brought with her: a small green stuffed bear. Tomoyo was still concerned with the girl; in Tomoyo's mind there was no one else she would rather be with than Sakura and she knew that Sakura felt the same way but whenever they talked deeply about the past or watched the old captures, Sakura seemed down and Tomoyo knew why. "You miss him, don't you." She said softly.  
  
Sakura looked up being snapped out of her trance by Tomoyo's seemingly out of the blue inquiry. Sakura was confused for only a second as she looked down at the bear in her hands. "It's been so long since he left." Sakura said sadly. "I. I wonder how he is."  
  
Tomoyo sat down on the bed next to Sakura and took one of her hands. "I'm sure he's fine, after all he is Syaoran." She said trying to make her friend feel better. "By now I'll bet he's tall and hansom and charming!"  
  
Sakura began to blush. "T- Tomoyo."  
  
"And if he saw you now, now that you're older and cuter than ever he'd never want to leave here again!" Tomoyo bubbled seemingly off in her own little fantasy world again as she did every time she talked about Sakura or Saoran. This cheered Sakura up a bit but she still felt ill at ease. Though she was feeling sad that her good friend was gone and she didn't know if she'd ever see him again she also seemed to hear in the back of her mind the ominous voice on the wind. Sakura felt a sudden chill and the voice came to her conscious mind. She bit her lip and felt again worried but she didn't know why. She began to think that maybe it wasn't just the sound of the wind or the coincidental absence of people on a typically busy street but something more.  
  
"Sakura!?"  
  
Sakura snapped out of her trance once again by Tomoyo's call. Her eyes half closed an unseeing before in trance now shot open to see Kero in front of her. "Kid? what's the matter?" He said.  
  
"Errmm. I'm not sure." She said seeming groggy or tired. She flopped on her back on Tomoyo's soft bed and looked at the ceiling. Tomoyo looked at Kero but he was as perplexed as she. Sakura didn't move for a while. She decided to try to forget her odd feelings to the softness of the linens she was upon. For a time she felt relaxed on the bed with the bear in her arms and her two dear friends at her side but she soon felt the same warmness on her cheek as before. She turned on her side and softly and silently wept. She did so but without any reason she could conceive; at that moment it just felt right to cry.  
  
She felt Tomoyo's hand upon her shoulder and this brought a slight smile to her face but as she opened her eyes she saw out the window something that quite suddenly put her back into the state she was in before on the street with no one around and in her bed that night, a state of awareness of something near. Something near and dreadful. She now heard the pitter patter of rain and saw it running down the window and spattering off the leaves of the trees outside. "Whe- when did it start to rain?" She asked in a shaky voice.  
  
"Good question." Kero said. At first Sakura though he was mocking her but she then looked away from the window to see him hovering with his arms and legs crossed and his head bowed. He looked serious enough for her.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
Kero looked up with his gravity intact. "Can you recall when it started, Tomoyo?" He asked.  
  
She thought for a moment. "No." She answered surprised with it herself.  
  
"What does that mean?" Sakura asked.  
  
Both the girls looked intently at Kero in anticipation and some fear of the answer. "I don't know." He said.  
  
Sakura fell onto the floor and then jumped to her feet. "What do you mean you don't know!?" She yelled.  
  
"Hey! I don't have all the answers ya know." He said in his defense. "But I can tell you this: there is something about this rain."  
  
Sakura perked up. "Yah, you're right!" she said. "It feels almost. familiar. Almost."  
  
"Like it's happened before." Both the girls looked at Kero.  
  
"'This rain isn't natural.' is what you said the day I started converting the cards. That rain was being made by Clow, do you mean he's doing it again? Is Eriol back?" Sakura felt herself fill with questions.  
  
"No." Kero said. "This isn't the work of Clow but it does seem eerily familiar. And you're right, it's not natural."  
  
"So what do we do?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Only one thing to do!" Kero exclaimed.  
  
Clad in rain coats and a small umbrella for Kero the three ventured outside to investigate. They walked to the Penguin King slide in the park. It was a medium rain; not falling very hard but the feelings Sakura had felt earlier that day and night were about her and all around it seemed. Not yet had she release her Star Wand from its key, they still knew nothing of the situation, but she hoped she wouldn't have to.  
  
Kero's tail flipped this way and that in frustration. "Mrrrrrrn." He would murmur to himself now and then heightening Sakura's apprehension. Tomoyo could see clearly that the two were worried. She wished to encourage them and lift their spirits but she had no advice or sentiments of hope or explanation to give. Tomoyo, though insightful, had no magic and no way of helping in this task. Though unfortunately it seemed that those with magic were at a similar loss. The look of confusion and worry on Sakura's face sank Tomoyo's usually strong heart.  
  
Sakura looked around; it was dusk out and the heavy clouds made it very dim like there was a dark veil covering the skies and obscuring their view. The pitter patter of the rain seemed ominous like the sound of many small footsteps all around. The voice on the wind was now intermingled with the sound of the rain, distorting it. Sakura couldn't specifically discern any presence as her dream the night before had seemed to foretell but she knew she could feel something, something elusive, hidden, something waiting.  
  
"I don't understand." Sakura said after some time of searching. Sakura had walked far and was now near the entrance to the Tsukimine Shrine. She turned to Kero and Tomoyo. "Why can't I sense any-th." Kero and Tomoyo weren't behind her. "thing?" She felt her heart skip a beat and she became short of breath. "Kero! Tomoyo? Where are you?" Her shouts echoed in the dark distances. The sun was down now and her only light was by the faint glimmers of distant lights from the shrine.  
  
The rain had lifted but in it's place was now a cold and harsh breeze that cut the air like a knife with the whale that had chased her all that day and night. The light from the shrine came dully through the trees. Suddenly, as if guided by that light, Sakura felt that she should enter the shrine. With each step more cautious than the one before she slowly made her way in.  
  
Though she felt it very wrong to be walking alone in this night, Sakura felt compelled to keep going. Deeper and deeper into the shrine she went all the while she felt perused by the voice on the wind. It was sharper now, the voice, sounding more and more like summoning words as she went. The wind's call, so rhythmic and perhaps enchanting, lulled Sakura and she soon felt on the verge of sleep as she walked until she was taken back into the conscious world quite suddenly by an frigid sensation about her feet and legs. Her eyes opened wide as she realized that she was ankle deep in icy water, she had walked into the Tsukimine Shrine's Moon Reading pond.  
  
She gasped and quickly hopped out of the near freezing water. The air was now still and silent. The voice of the wind had vanished once again. The clouds parted just enough so that the moon's light reached the pond. As Sakura looked out over it sudden fright filled her as she saw a dark figure standing upon the surface of the lake. There seemed a great flood of magic pouring from the figure Sakura thought, or perhaps it was only the numbness from the absence any strong powers that she had perhaps expected to sense that night. Either way, the power was there but it seemed somehow familiar to her. 'Is this it? Is this what this all is about?' Sakura asked herself silently.  
  
The figure remained still and unmoving for a time. Shimmering ripples in the dark waters began flow outward as the figure began to walk toward Sakura. Though intrigued, Sakura was still frightened. She took a step back from the water's edge. For only a few moments more was Sakura in wonder and fear for there then came the figure's voice; deep yet kind, familiar yet changed. "Sakura." it called.  
  
To Be Continued. 


	2. Sakura and Fateful Decisions

Distant Voices, part 2: Sakura and Fated Decisions  
  
Out of the shadows and the darkness and onto the shore before Sakura stepped the figure and reveled was a boy of her age, tall and strong. "Syaoran?" Sakura ebbed, her voice almost leaving her. She looked at his face, into his deep brown eyes, and then at his flowing green robes. "SYAORAN!" she yelled as she jumped toward him and hugged him with happiness replacing wonder and fear. Syaoran held his breath as he blushed but as he exhaled he hugged her back with relief.  
  
"You're alright. I wasn't sure if." Syaoran said as he broke the hug and looked into her eyes. ".if I."  
  
"What in blazes is the racket over there!" Came Kero's imposing voice from the distance.  
  
"C'mon!" Sakura said as she grabbed Syaoran's hand and ran toward their friends.  
  
"Li!?" Tomoyo exclaimed as the two pairs met.  
  
"AH! The Brat!" Kero shouted.  
  
"Kero!" Sakura scolded.  
  
Sakura felt Syaoran's grip on her hand tighten slightly to get her attention. "We have to go!"  
  
"What? ah, o- okay, but why?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Because it's not safe here. It's still out there." He said ominously.  
  
Sakura felt herself fill with fear once again and images of frightful things raced through her mind as she took in Syaoran's words. "Wh- what is?" She choked out.  
  
Kero looked at his master, Sakura with similar concerns and then to Syaoran for the answers he didn't have for his master.  
  
"The Voice on the Wind, a phantom spirit. It has come for you, Sakura." Syaoran said. There was then a gust of wind and a low wail in the distance now sounding more like a voice than ever, deep and bloody. "We've got to hurry. It's coming for us!" The wail then became a scream seeming to be very near and with it the four souls took to their feet and fled this accursed place.  
  
They ran through the shrine and the wind began to whip. The creaking of the trees and the violent whipping or their branches was almost defining. The pursuing voice behind now seemed to come from many directions. The whipping leaves and waving branches hindered their path out of the large shrine. Syaoran led them but he also took the brunt of the Voice's wrath; the leaves and branches struck him as he led the group and with the wind it seemed almost futile to attempt escape but he would not relinquish. With anger and determination he drew his double-edged sword from its sheath in his sash and cleared their path with a vengeance.  
  
Finally out of the shrine and out of breath, Syaoran slowed to a stop though the wind still blew and rain now fell like sharp pins. The moon was gone once again and darkness was all about them. Sakura breathed hard but was still very frightened. she couldn't see anything, not Kero, not Tomoyo and not Syaoran. "Syaoran?" She pleaded between breaths hoping that she was not once again alone. She felt a hand grasp her shoulder.  
  
"I'm here." She heard him say. She stepped close to him and felt the cold dampness of a large wall. She then felt Tomoyo's hands on her arm. Sakura turned to her friend and embraced her close. Syaoran stood close to the girls and Kero rested on Sakura's shoulder. "Stay still." Syaoran said. He put his arms on either side of the girls. With his arms around them he closed his eyes and murmured a chant that Sakura couldn't make out. The words he spoke were similar to those he had in the past while casting an element spell though these words sounded darker.  
  
After a few moment of this he fell silent. The wind had died down and all that could be heard was the light pitter patter of raindrops and the breathing of the four souls. Sakura could just barely see Syaoran still standing over Tomoyo and she but suddenly he fell to his knees. "Syaoran!"- "Li?" The girls called out. Sakura dropped to the ground. "Syaoran, Syaoran?" She pleaded.  
  
"I'm alright." He said. "I've cast a spell to hide us from it." He leaned back on the wall and the girls knelt beside him.  
  
"I'm sure you felt it, Sakura, he's been expending a lot of magic. He's wiped out." Kero said and Syaoran didn't argue.  
  
"Oh." Sakura whispered.  
  
Syaoran then started to get up. "Wait, Syaoran!" Sakura said as he stood. "You're still weak."  
  
"I- huh huh, don't know how long- the spell will last. I'll be fine. We have to keep moving."  
  
"Alright." Sakura said. "Where are we going?"  
  
"I came here in a hurry but my family managed to make some arrangements while I was on my way. I have an apartment not far from here. Once we're there we can talk more."  
  
"Okay." Sakura said. "What about you, Tomoyo? Are you okay?"  
  
Tomoyo just smiled and said: "I'm with you and Li, how could anything possibly happen?"  
  
"Good!" Kero biped. "Then let's go. Lead the way, Brat!"  
  
Though very tired, Syaoran managed to swat at Kero a few times before he remembered something important. "Sakura?"  
  
"Yah?"  
  
"I probably don't have to ask you this but you have The Clow with you right?"  
  
Sakura patted her pocket. "Right here." She said with a smile.  
  
Syaoran's expression was anxious at best. "Good." He said after a pause. "Keep it closed."  
  
Sakura wasn't sure what his logic for this was, if she didn't open the book she couldn't use the cards or her magic but she had faith in his judgments. "Okay, I won't."  
  
With Kero concealed in Sakura's hands, Syaoran led them back into the city. In their past dealings with magical events there tended not to be anyone around for certain reasons but this was not the case this time. The three noticed some odd glances from people on the streets as they hurried on their way, most of them toward Syaoran in his robes with his large sword on his back.  
  
Most of the way they jogged slowing their pace to a fast walk only once in a while. Tomoyo was getting tired as well was Sakura but Syaoran kept marching. Sakura, though ready to throw herself on the ground and refuse to get up for a week, was more worried about Syaoran than herself or Tomoyo. She knew his magic had already drained him and she was worried.  
  
The four finally Came to a three story apartment building and Syaoran stopped. No one said as much and it was no secret but they were very glad for it. It was only a short distance further to the apartment and once inside all flopped down onto the floor. Sakura could sense nothing in the still of the night so she and Tomoyo rested for a while sprawled on the floor on their backs. After a while Sakura opened her eyes and looked around. There was no furniture yet in the apartment and on the second glance she realized that it was the same apartment that Syaoran had lived in before. She then realize that he was nowhere in sight.  
  
She sat up and her eyes were suddenly bombarded with light coming from the hallway. The light hurt her eyes as she had been in the dark for what seemed like hours. Out of the light came Syaoran no longer dressed in his ceremonial green robes. He now wore a simple pair of tan pants and a dark green T shirt and in his hands were several white towels. Sakura then realized that she was very damp from the rain. Tomoyo had already stood and taken off her rain coat and kindly accepted the towel from Syaoran. Sakura being cold and rather unhappy as a result, did the same.  
  
"Thanks, Syaoran." She beamed as he handed her the towel and took her rain coat.  
  
Syaoran made everyone some hot tea and the voice on the wind, the Phantom seemed to pass out of their minds. They sat silently in a circle in the empty living room sipping their tea and drying themselves off. Syaoran sat with his sword and had placed four kanji scrolls and several burning candles around them. Sakura guess right in that it was another protective spell. After a few minuets the four had finished their tea and it was evident that Kero wanted to talk.  
  
He hovered in the air with his arms and legs crossed starring at Syaoran. "Well?" He asked in an irritated tone of voice. "When are you going to tell us exactly what's going on."  
  
Syaoran sat with his eyes closed ignoring Kero for a few seconds before beginning. "My guess is we're safe for now." he said.  
  
"I know that! that's not what I asked!" Kero shouted argumentatively.  
  
"Kero! Just let Syaoran explain." Sakura said.  
  
A short pause followed before he began again and in that time Sakura could sense his mood had become more serious. "What's going on" He said "is that we're being hunted." Sakura didn't like the sound of that and Tomoyo and Kero weren't too thrilled either. "It's after the cards. That's why I told you not to open the book, Sakura. As long as the seal is in place The Clow is impervious to almost anything except maybe Clow himself- er, themselves."  
  
"Okay, I understand that," Sakura said. "but what do we do about this 'Phantom'?" Sakura said shakily.  
  
"Wait just one second!" Kero shouted. "How is it that you know all this in the first place?" Kero accused Syaoran pointing a paw at him.  
  
Syaoran looked away. "That's not important." He said quaintly sounding almost mournful in Sakura's opinion. Kero starred at Syaoran for a bit but gave up on prying as it seemed that it would be no use. "Anyway, I don't really know what to do about the Phantom. The truth is I don't know what it is. It could be anything with any motivation for its actions." Syaoran said.  
  
"So what you're saying is that we don't know anything that we didn't know before?" Kero criticized.  
  
"That's not true." Tomoyo said. "We know it's after The Clow."  
  
"That's right!" Sakura agreed with optimism. She then looked at her friends. Everyone including Kero was exhausted. Tomoyo was laying on her side and Kero had fluttered down and was sitting on the floor with her. Syaoran was still sitting up but Sakura could tell he could barely keep his eyes open. "Hay everyone," Sakura said. "Why don't we get some sleep and talk more in the morning?"  
  
"You guys go ahead. I'll keep watch." Syaoran said.  
  
"No!" Sakura said surprising Syaoran. "You've worked the hardest and you disserve a break too."  
  
"I hate to say it but Sakura is right about that." Kero said. "And besides, you look terrible, kid, like you're about to die or something so I think sleep is a good idea. I'll keep watch."  
  
Syaoran let out a deep breath of frustration. "Fine."  
  
Without the aid of any pillows and in the dim flickering light of the candles the three quickly fell asleep and it was now up to Kero. "Man." he said to himself. "how am I gonna stay awake?"  
  
A few hours went by and despite his tireless efforts Kero fell asleep as well but fortunately Sakura had been being bothered by her dreams and was awake. She held the Clow in her hands and looked down upon it. The wind outside still blew. It sounded not like a voice this time but quiet whispers of many voices in the back of Sakura's mind. The rain did also still fall like the pitter patter of small footsteps. As she listened the rhythmic sounds she felt herself once again in a dreamlike state of mind, not quite asleep but not in the waking world. The whispers began to grow as if more and more voices surfaced in her mind from a turbulent place underneath. Though there were many, Sakura, in a not completely conscious way, could tell their message: they in so many words beckoned her to do what she knew she should not.  
  
'open the door'  
  
'free them'  
  
'bring them out of the darkness'  
  
The voices all became louder and all spoke to Sakura at once.  
  
As if she was watching herself through someone else's eyes and through the hazy mist of trance Sakura opened the book in her hands. All was silent; the whispers gone, the footsteps stopped. The candles flickered and the shadows in the room jumped about. Sakura looked down at the first card. Windy was on the top of the deck just as it had been that first fateful night, and just as before she reached down and took it from the book.  
  
'deliver them to me'  
  
This time the voice was no whisper. It was a deep and raspy voice like the echoes of the voice coming from the other side. It was like nothing she had ever heard and with it came a new kind of fear and dread. And then, before anything could be done the wind that had chased them so mercilessly caught up with her. The hazy trance of which seemed to blind Sakura from her own actions vanished and she realized her erratum and the graveness of what she had done for there in the very room suddenly came the wind lacking none of its previous wrath but more so. Sakura screamed and held the Clow to her chest as the wind blew like a hurricane around the room in a spiral around her.  
  
The candles blinked out and were swept away along with the scroll and the others. The wind drew in on Sakura but outward on the others throwing them to the edges of the room. Syaoran, before hitting, managed to grasp Tomoyo in her arms and he held her close to keep her from harm as he careened into the wall almost going through. The wind forced he and Tomoyo down into the corner and they could not move. Syaoran had lost grip of hi sword so he was unable to cast any spells, all he could do was watch helplessly.  
  
As the wind roared around her, Sakura clutched the book in her arms. In her heart she knew that it wished to take the cards from her. The wind drew closer and closer in seeming to want to crush Sakura as well as take the cards. Sakura held the Clow closed to her chest unwilling to give them up. She tucked her head over the top of the book to keep them more securer. "I won't let you have them!" Sakura yell but her voice sounded small amid the thunderous roar of the wind. Despite all Sakura's efforts the Clow was gradually being pried from her grasp by what seemed like unseen hands pulling her from it. 'I can't let it go! everyone is counting on me I can't let them down!' Sakura though in sadness and desperation as the book slipped from her arms. Time seemed to slow as she watched the book become farther from her as she was released from the wind's grasp to be cast aside like the others. Time for her caught up she was throw to the wall seemingly with a malice and hatred.  
  
She looked forth toward the swirling wind and in it's center the book spun open and there was heard the terrible cry of the Phantom voice shrieking out. A second later Sakura could not believe her eyes as from the book shot rays of light in every direction as it had before. The shrieking disappeared, fading away into the roar of the wind. Then suddenly the wind stopped and all in the room was still.  
  
Sakura sat huddled on the opposite wall as Syaoran and Tomoyo silent. She then slowly looked up to her friends across the room still safe and this brought her some happiness. She then looked to the center of the room where the Clow sit, open but facing down.  
  
Syaoran stood helping Tomoyo up. As he looked toward Sakura he saw her sadness. She knelt before the book starring down on it and her tears fell to its face. Tomoyo opened her cupped hands and Kero popped out and fluttered to Sakura. Syaoran and Tomoyo looked at one another, Tomoyo with sadness for her beloved Sakura and Syaoran with regret and remorse. The two walked over to Sakura and knelt down at her sides.  
  
"I." Sakura said still sobbing quietly. "I couldn't protect them."  
  
"You did your best." Tomoyo said.  
  
Syaoran looked at the book and he then saw in Sakura's hand something that seemed to lift his spirits. He took Sakura's hand in his as if hold it up for her to see. "You didn't fail to protect them. You at least saved her." He said. Sakura looked to see that the Windy Card was still in her hand. She smiled slightly but her frown returned. "But what about the others?" She said.  
  
"Not to worry I think." Kero said sounding optimistic. Sakura just looked at him with a blank star deducing nothing. "Whatever tried to take the cards you stopped dead in its tracks! Instead of letting them be taken you let them go! Now all we have to do is find them again!"  
  
Sakura deduced what had happened in her mind: she the cards had been released once again. She smiled truly cheered by her friends words of kindness. But she couldn't help but wonder; the whispers had told her to 'free them' and it seemed that is just what she did so she wondered: 'did I really do anything at all? was this its plan from the start?' it would be a very long time before she had the answer. For now she was content in the thought that there was hope. And appropriately with that hope came the dawn and morning's light poured in through the window as Kero opened it for his master in the knowledge that it would cheer her up. "Thank you, everyone." She said as she put windy back into the book and stood with the others.  
  
Now with hope for the future and her friends at her side she felt ready once again for the tasks laid out before her. She was Sakura, Master of the Clow and she would prevail. 


	3. Sakura and her Angelic Wings

Sakura and her Angelic Wings  
  
As the sun began to come up on the new day Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Kero went outside to see the damage the storm had caused that night. "It's not as bad as I thought it'd be." Syaoran said. Then there was heard the sound of a car pulling up. The four with Kero disguised as a stuffed animal once again looked to see a cab pull up to them. The passenger door on the opposite side of the car opened and out popped a tall black haired Chinese girl. She looked at the group and bounded over to them loudly. "LI!" she yelled as she threw her arms around Syaoran's neck.  
  
"Meling, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay in Hong Kong!  
  
"Hi Meling!" Sakura biped. "How have you been?" Tomoyo asked nicely.  
  
"Hi Sakura, hi Tomoyo!" She said ignoring Syaoran's question.  
  
"Meling." He said calling her attention back to the question.  
  
"You mother sent me!" She answered.  
  
"My mother!?" Syaoran gasped.  
  
The cab driver had popped the trunk of the car and Meling was now taking out luggage. She fished out of a suitcase a white envelope. "I'm a messenger! She told me to give you this!"  
  
"Couldn't she have just sent it though the mail?" Li argued.  
  
"It's a pretty important letter." She paused with a look on her face that hinted bad news at the very least. "Well anyway, she wanted me to check on you anyway." She said as she handed Syaoran the letter and some of her baggage to take into the apartment. "So what's been going on?" She asked as she looked around at everyone.  
  
"The cards have released again." Syaoran said.  
  
"Yay!" Meling exclaimed to everyone's surprise. "That means we get to be cardcaptors again!" Syaoran let out a groan of unhappy frustration and the girls giggled. The future seemed to be set as Sakura and Tomoyo said goodbye to their old friends but only to see them again very soon.  
  
Sakura's hand came slamming down on her alarm clock as it's bothersome sound woke her out of a relaxing slumber. "uug!" Sakura muttered in disgust that it was morning already. Sakura got up and out of bed. She walked down the hall and into the bathroom. She stood in front of the sink and looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Is this the mirror card? Or could it be the illusion card, maybe it's just my reflection." Sakura thought to herself. She splashed some cold water on her face and rubbed her eyes. "G'morning sunshine!" Kero said kiddingly as he flue into the bathroom. "Theirs nothing good about this morning, Kero." Sakura said as she grabbed her brush and pulled at her hair.  
  
"There are fifty-one phantom cards on the loose, I look terrible and it's the first day of the new semester!"  
  
"Sakura, you look fine, and I know for a fact that you're not as miserable as you think." Kero said reassuringly. "What do you mean, Kero?" Sakura said as she washed her face.  
  
"Well I hate to say it but it's probably more of a good thing than a bad that the brat has come back." Kero said.  
  
Sakura, despite her mood, couldn't help but smile at his mention. "Your right. He's always looking out for me, but..." Sakura thought about the previous night and Syaoran's words. ".But it feels like he's holding something back."  
  
"I know what you mean." Kero said. "He knows something about what's going on that we don't. It's not just the cars being released that we have to worry about. Be sure and remember that."  
  
"I know, I know." She said as she hopped into the shower.  
  
"Be sure and hurry up in there, you're gonna be late!" Kero called over the sound of the water.  
  
Sakura got out of the shower and into her school uniform, a white-gray button up blouse with a tan tie and a short black skirt. As she stood at her dresser looking into the mirror she was reminded of something. Reaching down, she opened a drawer and saw the gold necklace her father had given her still safe. 'I'll keep it safe. It and everyone.' She though. She then closed the drawer, said good-bye to Kero and walked down stairs.  
  
"Morning monster, your up early." Toya said.  
  
"Not really, and I'm sixteen now you can't call me that!" Sakura said with balled up fists.  
  
"Alright you two that's enough, now come and eat some breakfast." Fujitaka, Sakura's father said. Sakura saw yummy looking pancakes on the table with maple syrup and juice, her favorite. 'Yay!' she thought. There was then the sound of a car horn coming from the street. 'no.' Sakura whimpered. "Sorry dad my ride is here. I gotta go!" Sakura said as she grabbed her backpack and ran out the door.  
  
Sakura got in the back seat of a luxury sedan. "Hay everybody!" Sakura said happily. "Hi Sakura!" Tomoyo said from the driver's seat. "Hay Sakura." Yamazaki said leaning over the passenger's side seat. "Ya know Sakura, on the first day of the second semester of your sophomore year in high school it's tradition to wear all your cloths backwards." Yamazaki said still leaning over the seat. "Really?" Sakura said with a dumbfounded look on her face. "No, he's lying!" Chiharu said from the seat next to Sakura's.  
  
"Guess what guys!" Sakura bubbled.  
  
"What?" Yamazaki and Chiharu said almost in unison.  
  
"Syaoran is back!"  
  
"Really? Li's back? When did he get here?" Chiharu asked.  
  
"Yesterday." Tomoyo said.  
  
"And he'll be staying for a while so he'll be at school with us!" Sakura said rather excited.  
  
They arrived at school a few minutes before the first bell. Tomoyo and Sakura walked slowly towards their first period class while Yamazaki ran off somewhere with Mihara. Sakura saw Syaoran standing next to a tree so she and Tomoyo walked over to greet him. "Hi Syaoran." Sakura said in a playful voice. She then saw another person standing next to him latched onto his arm. "Oh, ah, hi Meling. I. didn't know you were going to stay."  
  
"Of course I am!" Meling stated. "You think that I'm just going to leave my Li alone?"  
  
"Hay." Li said in a low voice seeming to be trying to ignore the clamp on his arm. Sakura looked at Li's face, he had a bandage over his left eye. "How ya feeling Li?" Sakura asked in a supple tone. "Not bad, a couple of browsed ribs, some scrapes, I'm fine, how about you?" Li asked seemingly not interested in the answer. "I'm fine." Sakura said. The warning bell rang and Syaoran turned to walk to class with Meling. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at Sakura. "Just try and be careful. I can't. well, just be careful." He said and then turned and continued walking.  
  
"Okay, Syaoran! I will!" Sakura said with happy enthusiasm.  
  
The bell rang for lunch and everyone poured out of their classrooms and migrated to the courtyard to socialize. Sakura and Tomoyo sat down to have lunch. "I'm starving!" Sakura said. Syaoran walked up with Meiling attached to his arm as always, and sat down. No one said anything for a while, they just sat there eating. "So, Syaoran, how are you doing so far, ya know with classes and your apartment and stuff? Are you getting settled in?" Sakura said trying to start a conversation to break the silence.  
  
"We're settling in just fine and Li is so smart that no matter what the subject is he'll do great!" Meiling gloated for Syaoran. "Stop it, Meling." Syaoran said in a not so friendly tone. Meling sat there looking a bit melancholy at Syaoran's scolding. She almost looked like she was about to cry and she got up and ran away.  
  
"Li, that wasn't very nice." Tomoyo said. Li ignored her and hunched over the lunch table and leaned on his fists. Tomoyo looked at him. He had seemed the day before more hopeful and less upset it seemed. She wondered if it was something that could have happened between then and now or maybe if he had changed in the years passed.  
  
"Li is something bothering you?" Sakura asked not knowing what kind of response she would get.  
  
"It's nothing, Sakura." Li said in an apologetic tone.  
  
The rest of the school day went by and the dismissal bell rang. Sakura met Tomoyo in the parking lot to go home. "Boy am I glade this day is over, hay where's Yamazaki and Chiharu?" Sakura asked Tomoyo. They're off somewhere, said they'd walk home." Tomoyo answered. The two girls got in the car and started home. "What do you think is wrong with Li?" Tomoyo inquired.  
  
"I don't know but something is defiantly wrong, I've never seen him so depressed." Sakura said.  
  
"I've never seen him depressed period." Tomoyo said.  
  
Sakura got home and she and Tomoyo went up to her room to study. "So how was your fist day back at hell-high?" Kero asked Sakura and Tomoyo. "I wish you wouldn't repeat things you hear Yamazaki say." Sakura complained. "Well as much as you complain about it, it sounds like a accurate description." Kero pointed out. Sakura, Tomoyo and Kero did homework and watched TV until about six-thirty when Sakura sensed something. Sakura stared blankly out the window and Tomoyo said "Sakura what is it?"  
  
"I sense a Clow card!" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
"Oh yah! Our first Clow card!" Kero shouted. Sakura, Tomoyo and Kero left the house and started to search for the card. "Can you tell where it's coming from?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Over there." Sakura pointed to the wooded area near her house.  
  
"It's getting dark." Tomoyo said as she held onto Sakura's arm.  
  
"Can you tell which card it is?" Kero asked Sakura. "It's familiar, one of my first." Sakura said in concentration.  
  
"What's that?!" Tomoyo said as she pointed to a beam of bright blue light through the trees. "It's Syaoran!" Sakura said with a hint of excitement. Sakura Tomoyo and Kero ran toward the source of the beam. Sakura burst out of the bushes behind Li. "SYAORAN!" Sakura said.  
  
"Ahhhh!" Syaoran he yelled startled. "Ahiiiii!" Sakura squealed and fell down startled by Syaoran's yell.  
  
He turned around with a look of irritation. "Don't do that! You okay?" Li said looking down at her. Tomoyo jumped out of the bushes and saw Sakura sitting on the ground. She knelt down next to her. "Sakura are you okay?" "Sakura what the hell is wrong with you, I could have killed you!" Li shouted at Sakura. "Sy- Syaoran, you scared me." Sakura whimpered as she stood up.  
  
"I was the one who was scared!" Syaoran said as his hear went budump budumb. "Don't sneak up on me like that in the dark." Li warned her in a low and intolerant tone. Sakura could tell that despite his attempt at kindness, Syaoran was still troubled by whatever was bothering him. Syaoran turned from Sakura and Kero flue in front of him.  
  
"You got alota nerve kid! Knocking Sakura down for no reason!" Kero growled at Syaoran. Syaoran stared at Kero for a moment and than swatted him out of the air and walked away. "I've got a card to capture." Syaoran said as he stormed off.  
  
Tomoyo picked Kero up off the ground. "Are you okay, Kero?" She asked. "I'm fine, but that Li kid has gone too far!" Kero announced. "He didn't knock me down, I fell down." Sakura said. This didn't really surprise Kero, and it made more sense, but he didn't want to admit that. "He was angry about something though, he's been upset all day, he even lashed out at Meiling." Sakura said with concern.  
  
"We'll deal with this later, right now we have a card to catch." Kero said. "Sakura where is it?"  
  
"Close, I can feel it." Sakura said. "It's, It's, above us!" Sakura said as she looked toward the sky but there was nothing there. "Hmm, well, it could be the fly card." Kero Said. There was then a loud screech coming from above. The area of sky above they could see through the trees vanished as the form of a massive bird that was white and glowing like the full moon swooped overhead and as it did the trees waved from the wind of it's wake. "Yep, defiantly the Fly. Sakura, you're up!" Kero said.  
  
"The key that hides the powers of darkness show your true form before me, Release!" Sakura chanted as her Star Wand appeared. "Windy, bring fly down!" The windy burst from it's card and chased after the large bird. When it caught up with fly it wrapped itself around the bird and they fell from the sky. Sakura ran to where they fell; in a grove where the trees were scarce and found windy struggling to keep fly in its grasp. The bird was as large as before and it seemed to be stronger this time. "Seal it now!" Kero shouted. Just then fly burst from windy's grasp and flapped it's wings once toward the three with gale force knocking them to the ground.  
  
"Thunder!" A deep voice penetrated the air. A bolt of lightning left Syaoran's sword and impacted the bird. "Return to your true form, Phantom card!" Sakura yelled. The bird was pulled into it's card in a beautiful stream of light. The card floated into Sakura's lap as she sat on the ground.  
  
Syaoran walked to Sakura and stood a few feet in front of her. "Thanks for your help Syaoran, I, couldn't have done it without you." Sakura said wondering if Syaoran was still up set. Syaoran than held out his hand to help Sakura up. Sakura took his hand and stood up. Syaoran held Sakura's hand and looked into her eyes. Sakura looked at him, but she didn't fell anger in him any more, instead sadness. Syaoran turned and walked away from Sakura and Tomoyo. "Syaoran, wait what's wrong?" Sakura asked Syaoran as she put a hand on his arm. Syaoran pulled his arm away and said "Goodbye Sakura." Li continued walking. "Syaoran!" Sakura pleaded.  
  
"Sakura, he'll tell us what's wrong when he's ready. Now lets try out your new wings." Tomoyo said cheerfully.  
  
"Yah, kid, don't worry about him, he's a survivor." Kero said.  
  
"Okay, your right" Sakura said as she taped the fly card with her wand. And with that a pair of beautiful white wings appeared on her back and Sakura flew into the sky like an angel ascending to heaven.  
  
Syaoran looked to the air and saw the angel. "I can't protect you any more. I never could." 


	4. Sakura,Syaoran,and the Letter of Sorrow

Sakura, Syaoran and the Letter of Sorrow  
  
Sakura dashed across the field with her star wand. A large black furry object bouncing away in the distance. "Fly!" Sakura yelled. Wings appeared on Sakura's back and she flue towards the creature. "Sakura, what card is it?" Sakura heard Kero ask through her headset. "Um..." Sakura said. The creature than turned around and jumped of the ground, ramming into Sakura. Sakura fell to the ground and landed on the soft grass of the field. "It's the jump card." Sakura moaned. Sakura looked up and saw the Jump bounding towards her. Sakura quickly stood up and released Windy. "Restrain the Jump!" Sakura commanded Windy. The Windy tied itself around the Jump and stopped it from moving. Sakura raised her wand and yelled "return to your true form, Phantom Card!" The jump was sucked into the card and it sailed to Sakura's hand.  
  
"All right, the jump card!" Kero said with excitement.  
  
"Too bad Tomoyo wasn't here to see it, I'm sure she would have loved to get it on camera!" Sakura said delighted with her victory.  
  
Sakura blinked a few times and opened her eyes. Sakura sat up in bet and yawned. 'Saturday'. Sakura thought. "Morning Sakura," Kero said hovering over the bed in front of Sakura. "two cards in one week, not bad."  
  
"But there are still forty-nine cards left to capture." Sakura said.  
  
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Kero asked. Sakura sat up in bed and looked at the clock. '8:34'  
  
"Sakura, is something bothering you, you look worried?" Kero said. Sakura looked at Kero and managed a weak smile.  
  
"I'm fine." Sakura said. Kero saw right through her.  
  
"Your not still worried about that Li kid are you?" Kero said very irritated. Sakura thought back on the week. All threw out the week Li had acted depressed and lashed out at people for no apparent reason, he even got in a fight with Yamazaki when he lied to Li, which happens every day anyway.  
  
Sakura was very worried, and afraid, Li had never been this irrationally angry and violent before. Sakura looked at Kero. Kero could tell by her expression that she was in fact worried. "Look Sakura, if you really are that worried about him than you should go and see him." Kero said only trying to make Sakura feel better.  
  
Sakura stood up and said in and uneasy voce "I guess your right Kero."  
  
"Sakura what is it?" Kero asked. Sakura looked at Kero.  
  
"Something feels odd." She said looking at a tree out her window. Sakura shook it off and got dressed. A pair of long tight black jeans and a gray T- shirt with a wing on the chest, Sakura walked down stairs. She saw Toya and her fathe,r Fujitaka at the dining room table drinking coffee and eating breakfast.  
  
Sakura sat down at the table and smiled. "Good morning, er, ah, Toya, aren't you supposed to be at work?" Toya starred at Sakura with an irritated look on his face.  
  
"I'll be leaving in a few minutes monster." Toya said between sips of coffee.  
  
"I told you, you can't call me that any more! I sixteen and I'm in."  
  
"Gotta go squirt!" Toya said with a smirk as he got up to leave. Sakura got up to pressure her brother but was stopped by Fujitaka.  
  
"Sakura, I need you to run some errands for me." Sakura's father said with a smile. "Oh, ok dad." Sakura said.  
  
Sakura rolled down the quiet street in her roller blades. The nippy wind gently blew as cherry blossoms sailed through the air. Though it was a clear day the January sky seemed gray. Sakura stopped for a moment to warm her hands. Sakura had put on a pink sweeter to keep from the cold. She looked up at the sky. Sakura found herself once again thinking about Li. What was wrong, how he was. 'I wish I knew.' Sakura thought to herself. Sakura glanced to her left; she had come across Li's apartments, Kero is right, I should go see him. 'I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't.' Sakura chuckled. Sakura walked over to Li's apartment and rang the buzzer. After a moment Meling answered the door. "Ack! uh, hi Meling." Sakura said rather surprised. Meling stepped toward Sakura. She had a desperate look on her face. She grabbed Sakura's hand with both of hers. "Have you seen Li!?" she asked in a pleading voice.  
  
Sakura, more than a little surprised at Meling's emotional state, said "No, I haven't. I thought he would be here." "He's been gone since I woke up!" Meling said a little choked up. The two girls went inside and sat down at the kitchen table. "Meling, do you have any idea why Li has been acting so strangely?" Sakura asked. "I, I think I do." Meling motioned Sakura to follow her. They went into the bedroom. This was the first time Sakura had been in Li's room since he and Meling came back. The room was a bit different than she had imagined. Twin beds, instead of one big one in particular. Meling walked over to a desk with two samurai swards in an X on the wall above it. She opened a drawer in the desk and took out a peace of paper. Meling handed the peace of paper to Sakura. "It's a letter from Li's clan." She said. Sakura looked at the letter.  
  
Dear Syaoran,  
  
I'm sorry to bring you such sad news,. but there has  
  
been a death in the family.. You'er eldest sister, Shiefa  
  
was stricken by an illness shortly after your departure, she passed away in the hospital on the 7th.  
  
This was the basic gist of the letter.  
  
"Oh my god, that's terrible!" Sakura exclaimed. "no wonder Syaoran has been so depressed."  
  
"Sakura you have to help me find him! I don't know what he might do." Meling choked. Meling's eyes were full of tears, here cheeks red. She sat down on a bed and sobbed. Sakura was felling uneasy herself. Sakura knelt down in front of Meling, put her hands on Meling's shoulders and looked into her eyes.  
  
"We'll find him." She said in a supple voce. Meling dried her eyes and the two girls started out to find Syaoran.  
  
"Where do we start, he could be anywhere!" Meling said in a panic as they walked down the street. Sakura stopped abruptly. Sakura stood perfectly still, standing straight up looking at the gray sky. Darkened images shot through Sakura's mind.  
  
"Shadows, a tree, a sword, and... and blood." Sakura said cryptically.  
  
"What?" Meling said puzzled.  
  
"Syaoran, no!" Sakura shouted as she bolted away. Meling although confused followed. Because Sakura was in here roller blades Meling couldn't keep up.  
  
Syaoran sat on a mossy green rock surrounded by tall trees. The trees cast a dark shadow on him, only spots of gray light found their way through the thick foliage. Li looked into the sky. 'So gray, as if the day had no life, ironic.' Li thought. Li held his sward in his hand. He rested the blade on his wrist. Li began to press the blade into his flesh.  
  
Sakura came to the edge of the thick and took off her blades with haste. Sakura ran through the forest with only her socks to protect her small feet. A flash of light caught Sakura's attention. "Syaoran!" She called. 'Please be all right, I don't know what I would do without you.' Blood ran down Syaoran's wrist. Syaoran gritted his teeth at the pain. He thought it comforting, the pain, so physical it distracted him from the pain inside. "Syaoran, no!" Sakura screamed as she came bounding toward Syaoran. The exhausted girl fell to her knees in front of Syaoran, her feet raw and hurting from the forest ground.  
  
"Sakura!" Syaoran exclaimed. Syaoran took the blade off his bloody arm and set it down on the rock. Sakura breathing hard looked up at Syaoran. Sakura sprang up and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"Please don't do this." Sakura said as she pressed her cheek against Syaoran's chest, her eyes full of tears. Sakura felt Syaoran's warmth, she felt his heart beat and for a moment everything was right, everyone was safe, but only for a moment. Syaoran placed his hands on Sakura's shoulders. Sakura looked up and looked into Syaoran's eyes. "Why?" Sakura said weakly. Syaoran looked at his hand; it covered with blood, and at Sakura. His blood was on her cheek, and on her sweater. He took his blood soaked hands off Sakura's shoulders and looked at them. Li slipped down off the rock onto the ground with Sakura. "This is what I deserve. I let her die. It- it hurts so much. this, It hurts less like this. If I suffer enough."  
  
"No, Syaoran, it wasn't your fault. Even if you were there you couldn't have done anything. You hurting yourself doesn't make anything right!" Sakura pleaded.  
  
"It was my responsibility to protect her! And I let her die!" Syaoran shouted. Sakura looked into his teary eyes. "If I can't protect them, they don't need me, no one does." Syaoran said grimly.  
  
"Syaoran, don't say that. It's not true. I need you. With out you I would be lost. You make me the best I can be. Do you remember, Syaoran? Do you remember when I turned the last of the cards?" Sakura said as she held Li's hands tightly.  
  
"You said that because I was there, you were able to try harder." Syaoran said solemnly.  
  
"Because of you I was able to do it! I couldn't have done any of it without you." Sakura smiled weakly at Syaoran and he almost smiled back, but his eyes widened. "Sakura look out!" Syaoran shouted.  
  
Earthy roots wrapped themselves around Sakura's thin body and pulled her a way from Syaoran. "Sakura!" he yelled as he grabbed his sward. Sakura screamed in terror as the roots began to pull her beneath the ground. Li began chopping apart the roots to free the frantic girl. "Syaoran!" Sakura pleaded. Sakura was all most completely burred, only her small hand and forearm protruded from the ground. Li through down his sword and grabbed Sakura's hand and started to pull. He managed to free her from the root's grasp and he pulled her from the ground with roots snapping and soils being unearthed. Sakura lay in Li's lap he shoulders supported by Li's hemorrhaging arm.  
  
"Sakura, are you all right?" Syaoran said softly. "I do need you." Sakura said gripping Li's arm. The roots began to rise from the ground over them like a collapsing dome. Leaves began to grow on the vines.  
  
"It's the wood card!" Syaoran exclaimed. "Sakura, you have to seal it now!" Sakura gripped her star key in her small fist as it began to glow.  
  
"Oh Star of the heavens grant me the power of my star, release!" Sakura chanted as the star wand appeared. "Windy release and dispel!" Sakura thrust her wand upwards and Windy burst from its card. "Form a cyclone around us and break apart the Wood!" Sakura commanded. A cyclone formed around them and the Wood card's branches began to break apart until all of it was swirling in the air around Syaoran and Sakura. "Return to your true form, Phantom card!" Sakura yelled. The wood was pulled into it's card and the card went to Syaoran.  
  
Li forced himself to his feet still holding Sakura in his arms. Sakura looked at his bleeding arm. Sakura ripped a peace of her tattered sweater off and tied it around Li's wrist. "Why does this seem familiar?" Sakura said with a grin. Li managed a weak smile but than fell to his knees. "Li!" Sakura knelt down next to Li and put his arm over her shoulder. Li picked up his sward and they started back to town.  
  
"Sakura, thank you." Syaoran said.  
  
"For what?" Sakura replied in a supple tone. "For reminding me that I'm needed." Syaoran said.  
  
"Li!" a crying Meling yelled. Meling ran to Syaoran and Sakura. Meling through her arms around Li's waste held him close and rested her head on his chest. "I thought I'd lost you." Syaoran looked at Meling with warm eyes and said "I'm all right Meling." He looked over at Sakura. "I'm not going anywhere." 


	5. Sakura,Syaoran, and the Newcomer

Sakura, Syaoran, and the Newcomer  
  
As night overcame Tomeda, Sakura stirred in her sheets. She dreamt of dark and far away lands. Of times forgotten by most. And of people now faceless and nameless because all that knew them had long passed. There was a tower in the land of darkness that she dreamed of. It was tall and proud and black. But than it was gone. And where it had been; only grass and shadow. But then there was a voice. It was a pretty voice. And it sang a song. A sad song. Sakura would not be able to remember any of it but this:  
  
Up where the griffins call  
  
Down in the river's glade  
  
Over where the shining tower falls  
  
Death by the wing-ed blade.  
  
Sakura again woke with a thud as she fell onto the floor. "Owwwwwww." She cried as she rubbed her behind with both her hands. She looked around her room to find that it was still dark outside. It was only 5:45 but remembering the scary dream she decided not to go back to bed. She put on some slippers and went down stairs for some tea and some time to think to herself.  
  
When she walked into the kitchen she saw someone already sitting in the dining room reading the paper. "Well good morning Sakura." Her father said as he took a sip of coffee. "how are you this morning?"  
  
"Daddy!" Sakura said with excitement as she leapt into his lap. Even though she was older she was still small enough to do this. Sakura was happy to see her father, as he normally left for work before she got up. She also felt fortunate to catch him because he was to leave that morning to give a lecture at Tokyo University and he wouldn't be back for a few days.  
  
"What are you doing up so early, honey?" He said to his daughter.  
  
"I had a bad dream." Sakura blurted out for her father's attention before thinking. After a moment she realized that she should have talked to Kero about it first.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry dear. Why don't you tell me about it?" He said in a caring voice. Sakura sat down in a chair next to her father's.  
  
"Ah, oh, it was nothing never mind. I think I just wanted to get some tea. That's all." Sakura said. She started to get up to get some but her father stood up first.  
  
"That's okay, I'll get you some Sakura." He said  
  
"Thanks dad." Sakura said in a misty voice as she watched her father leave the room. After he was gone she thought about what she had just said. 'I lied, it wasn't nothing. It was definitely something. But what was it?' Sakura thought as she waited for her tea and her father's company again.  
  
"Here you go, Sakura." Fujitaka said as he handed Sakura some tea. He sat down again but didn't pick the newspaper back up. "How are you doing, Sakura?" He asked in more of an inquisitive tone than normal. Sakura almost thought that he knew what was going on, normally when he asked a question it seemed like he already knew the answer, very much like Eriol for obvious reasons, Sakura thought, but this time he seemed to be looking for one. "I'm okay. Everything's fine." Sakura said.  
  
"That's good to hear." He said with a smile. "Oh yes, you are keeping the necklace safe aren't you?"  
  
"Yep!" Sakura said. "It's safe in my room and sometimes I keep it with me!"  
  
"Thank you, I still haven't had any time to look at the book I found it in," He said but paused. There was something to his voice, Sakura thought, again sounding almost unsure, very much not like him. "So I'd like you to hold onto it for a while longer."  
  
"Okay, daddy." She said still wondering if there was something more to this than he had said.  
  
After Tomoyo picked her up and they went to school they sat in their homeroom with Syaoran (Syaoran, Tomoyo and Sakura all have the same homeroom) and talked about things, or Sakura made wild and fantastical theories about what was going on most of which involved ghosts of one sort of another. She was beginning to scare herself. Syaoran had been suspiciously quiet during the conversation and Sakura once again got the feeling he was holding something back. She decided to finally ask him about it. "Syaoran? What do you think it is?"  
  
"I don't know." He said bluntly.  
  
"Oh." Sakura said. She knew he was lying. He knew something but he didn't want to tell her. Not just yet anyway.  
  
Though they talked at length, Sakura held back her dream for some reason. It seemed to her that the dream somehow concerned Syaoran, even though it was a girls voice singing the song.  
  
Their conversation was broken up however by class starting. As Sakura looked out the window she vaguely heard the sensei say something about a new student. That grabbed her attention. It wasn't all that odd for a student to transfer in at the beginning of a semester but it was where the person was from that go Sakura's attention, England. Unfortunately Sakura's hopes were crushed when her sensei announced the new student's name. Though he had to do it through some noise. It was a rowdy bunch.  
  
"Ah, attention. atten- Shut up class!" The sensei shouted "please come in now." The classroom door opened and the student walked in. "This is Kako Yuakito. She is a transfer student from Great Briton." The sensei said. Kako was a tall girl with long black hair and dark blue eyes. It looked to Sakura that she was half Japanese and half British. Sakura felt some dajavoo when looking at the girl because it seemed that she was looking at her. But at a second glance she noted that it was Syaoran at whom she was starring; and he was starring back. But not how he had starred at Sakura the first they met, more with light eyed awe, an almost admiring look if not for the fact that he wasn't smiling and had his hand on his wrist which made Sakura nervous anytime she saw him doing it.  
  
"Please take a seat." The sensei held the note of 'seat' as he looked about for a one. "Right there." He pointed at the empty seat next to Li's.  
  
'Damn it.' Sakura thought and then wondered why she already felt resentful of this girl. Kako walked over to her seat with a bounce in her step and the sensei sat down at his desk to take role and once again ignored the undisciplined class. Immediately after Kako sat down she turned to Syaoran.  
  
"Hi! I'm Kako but you already know that. Actually you can call me Ka! (pronounce Kay) what's your name?" she said sounding as if she was in need of riddlen. Li reared back a bit but responded at least half civilly.  
  
"Er, hi. I'm Syaoran." he said.  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo looked at each other in conferment. Tomoyo whispered in Sakura's ear: 'have you ever hear Li introduce himself as Syaoran?'  
  
Sakura made a sort of pouty face as she tried not to stare at Li and this new girl talking. Suddenly Tomoyo decided to chime into their conversation. "Um, excuse me, Li? Weren't you going to introduce us to your new friend?" Tomoyo said in her neutral way. Syaoran looked uncomfortable which was Tomoyo's intent.  
  
Kako Looked at Tomoyo and Sakura. "Oh, I'm sorry. I hadn't seen you there. I'm Kako" She said less vibrantly than before.  
  
"I'm Sakura and This in my best friend Tomoyo. Can we call you Ka too?" Sakura said being as friendly as she could.  
  
"No." Kako said abruptly as she turned back to Li. Sakura made a mad face but nether Syaoran or Kako saw. Syaoran seemed to be perfectly comfortable talking to Kako. Before Tomoyo had a chance to butt in again the bell rung and homeroom was over.  
  
As the day went by Sakura hoped that she didn't have any more classes with Kako. She went through her first five classes without incident but when sixth period rolled around her hopes were crushed once again. When dressing in her p.e. uniform in the girls locker room she saw her. Kako's locker was just a few away from hers and Tomoyo's. Kako ignored the two girls as she dressed. Something that Sakura would get accustom to.  
  
In the gym Sakura and Tomoyo typically met up with Chiharu, Takashi and Syaoran, but Takashi had been avoiding Syaoran since the last week so Syaoran wasn't with them. He wasn't anywhere that Sakura could see at the moment. After a while she found him. He was on the other side of the gym with Kako. They were leaning on the wall talking to one another. Tomoyo heard a grumble from Sakura as she turned away from the two.  
  
All of a sudden who came bounding up but Meling as pissed as ever. "Sakura!" She said quietly and cautiously but obviously fuming with anger. "I am going to jump that malicious bitch! Tomoyo you record it. I want a copy." Sakura began to try and calm her down.  
  
"Wait a minuet, Meling. Who?" Sakura said knowing very well who she was speaking of.  
  
"HER!" Meling said pointing right at Kako across the gym. Sakura grabbed Meling's arm.  
  
"Don't point at her! Meling what is this all about?" Sakura said truly puzzled. She thought that in all likelihood Meling would have simply cornered the girl, made threats and intimidated and scared the hell out of Kako but it seemed as though that hadn't happened yet.  
  
"Do you know what she said to me?!" Meling explained. "She told ME to stay out of THEIR business!"  
  
"When did she say that?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Huh, oh, when I cornered her in the hall earlier." Meling said.  
  
The girls were cut off by everyone starting to dividing up into separate classes. Sakura and Tomoyo went into one of the side rooms off the main gym for the gymnastics class. Meling had class with Li in another part of the gym and Sakura would be relieved at this in a moment.  
  
During role call Sakura learned of the new student in her gymnastics class from the coach's announcement he gave before he stated role. Of course it was Kako. As she walked by Sakura to go to the end of the role call line she gave her a sideways glance and a smug smile.  
  
As the class went on Sakura found that Kako was an excellent gymnast and she matched Sakura's skill in each exercise move for move. This was starting to get to Sakura. And it was blatantly obvious to everyone that Kako was trying to best Sakura. It wasn't until the end of class when Sakura's occasional clumsiness came into play. She stumbled on a landing and fell straight on her butt. Afterwards Kako did the same flip and landed perfectly.  
  
After school Sakura felt embarrassed and depressed. She asked Tomoyo to just drop her off at home instead of going to her house to do homework. As she sat in her room looking at her very few cards she felt sad. Kero fluttered over to console her but it was no use.  
  
Eventually she went to bed. In the minuets before she fell asleep she thought about how it might not be such a bad thing to have Kako around even if she didn't like her. Sakura thought that Syaoran seemed less depressed when he talked to Kako. And that is what Sakura thought she wanted; for Syaoran to be happy and not try and hurt himself anymore. Though the last word that almost totally unconsciously went through her mind were: 'why not me.'  
  
In that night as Sakura slept the dream came again. The same land of darkness and the same tower there and then gone just like before. With the images again came the song. But then there was something she hadn't seem before. Behind where the tower had fallen was a hill illuminated by moonlight. On the top of the hill was the figure of a person in flowing dark purple robes. In the figure's hand was a long halberd* which glinted brightly in the moonlight.  
  
Like the night before the dream disturbed Sakura and she woke up early. Actually she woke about as early as possible at somewhere around one o'clock. She starred at the ceiling knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep without talking to someone. Not necessarily about the dream; she just wanted to be with someone before she slept and dreamt again.  
  
Ordinarily she would have woken up her father but he had left for Tokyo that morning. She began entertaining the thought of waking Touya up. She knew he would be irritated and maybe yell at her but she knew that her brother loved her and wouldn't turn her away.  
  
Sakura, without waking Kero crept down the dark hallway to Touya's room. She knocked and softly whimpered his name but there was no answer. Not wanting to raise her voice in the middle of the night, Sakura just opened the door, closed it and walked over to her brother's bed. He was sleeping on his side facing away from Sakura. She knelt down next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Touya?"  
  
Touya rolled his eyes without moving and than shut them again. "What do you want squirt." He stated to the wall. He then decided that he was being a little too insensitive since he figured that she was in his room for a reason. He sat up in bed and put his feet on the floor. "Alright what's wrong?" He said less antagonistically. "Couldn't sleep?"  
  
Sakura smiled at her brother and sat next to him on the bed. "Yah." She said and she leaned on his shoulder.  
  
"Well you know, I can't do anything about your sleep habits." Touya said as he looked down at his sister clinging to his arm. "Hey are you okay?" Sakura wasn't moving. "Geese, wake me up just to fall asleep on my bed. Monster." Touya grumbled as he gently picked Sakura up a sleeping Sakura and took her back to her own bed. After he tucked her in he stopped at her doorway and looked at her. "I didn't want you to have to go through this again. Not if it's going to do this to you." Touya shut the door and went back to his room.  
  
The next morning Sakura awoke a little confused as she could have sworn she fell asleep in Touya's room. She felt relived as she hadn't dreamt of dark hills or dark figures anymore that night. Only dreams about bunnies, Yukito and a confusing one about her and Syaoran at the park at night. It wasn't a dream about impending battle or anything negative that she could tell but it had an odd feel to it that Sakura couldn't identify.  
  
She went to school with a smile and an overall cheerful attitude that morning and felt even better when she found that Kako was absent that day. She wondered a little bit as to where she was because it would only be her second day but it was a passive thought and left her mind quickly.  
  
School ended and Sakura this time went to Tomoyo's house and studied and goofed off and than decided to walk home. On the way she decided to walk through the park because she liked the way it looked at sunset. As she walked along one of the paths through the park she saw someone sitting on a bench next to the path a few yards away. When she got closer she saw that it was a boy with dark brown hair and a familiar face holding something in his hands. She ran up to him and called his name. "Syaoran!"  
  
Syaoran looked up and saw Sakura bounding toward him. A smile almost made it to his face but when she was a few feet away she tripped and fell down. Syaoran quickly stood up leaving the object on the bench. He knelt down next to Sakura. "Are you okay?" Sakura looked up at Syaoran embarrassed.  
  
"Yah I'm fine." She said blushing.  
  
They sat down on the bench so that Sakura could catch her breath. She glanced over to Syaoran and saw that he was holding the object again. It was a headband made of small white flowers. Sakura could see in Syaoran's face that he was still feeling depressed. Under the sleeve of his jacket she could see the white of his bandages. It would be a while before a deep cut like that one would heal. Sakura returned her attention to the headband. "Syaoran, what's that?"  
  
Syaoran paused before he answered. He wanted to tell her about it or he would have hidden it when her first saw her, which was before she even saw him. He shifted it around in his hands for a while before speaking. "My mother sent this to me. They are my sister, Shiefa's flowers. Mother though that I might want them." He trailed off.  
  
Sakura stayed silent. She didn't know anything to say other than that it wasn't his fault but it didn't seem appropriate in that moment. But before she could have said anything the band of flowers slipped from Syaoran's hands and fell to the ground. Syaoran didn't make any move to pick them up though. He just stared at them and put his hand on his wrist.  
  
"Syaoran ." Sakura couldn't think of anything else to say but just the sound of her voice was enough for Syaoran. He picked it up off of the ground. Sakura could tell that even if he wouldn't admit it the band meant a lot to him. He looked down at it.  
  
"Of all the deaths in my clan." Sakura barley heard Syaoran say. "and all the songs that have been sung."  
  
Sakura was beginning to get worried. Syaoran seemed entranced or just deeply saddened. "Up where the griffins call. Down in the river's glade. Over where the shining tower falls. Death by the wing-ed blade." Syaoran said very softly.  
  
"What!?" Sakura said loudly. Syaoran was jolted out of his 'trance' and looked at Sakura.  
  
"What?" Syaoran asked.  
  
Sakura looked at Syaoran in wonder. "What you just said. What was it?"  
  
"I- it's a passage from a memorial ballad of my clan. It was written to commemorate and morn someone's death." Syaoran said.  
  
Sakura hands found her star key around her neck. "Who's?" She said uncertain she wanted the answer.  
  
Syaoran looked at Sakura blankly. "Ah, I don't really know."  
  
"You don't." Sakura said halfway between relief and disappointment.  
  
"My mother sang it to me when I was younger but she never told me about the events behind it. And come to think of it, the song isn't written about in any of my families histories or in any of Clow's books." Li said thoughtfully. Sakura could tell that she had brought up some questions that Li had already thought of at one point.  
  
Syaoran looked back down at the band. His expression changed back to sadness. "It's a reminder of past things." Syaoran was talking about the band now. He looked at Sakura. She thought she could almost see a smile. She almost gasped when she felt his hand take hers. He place the band in her palm and closed her fingers over it. "I want you to have it." He said.  
  
Before Sakura could object Li stood up and walked away into the dimming light and shadows of the park. She looked at the flowery band and smiled.  
  
Away in the darkness of the a tall and wide tree a female figure in robes stood. The last of the days light faded away as the figure gripped a staff with her small hands. As the wind blew through the figure's long black hair her eyes stayed fixed on the figures making their way through the park away from the bench. The girl ran her fingers gently down her lips as she looked onto Syaoran's dark figure. "No more mistakes. There will be no more mistakes." The girl said in a longing tone. "You will come to me and not her."  
  
Authors Notes: * a halberd, for those of you who aren't apt to ancient European weapons, is a long spear with a small axe head on it. 


	6. Sakura,Syaoran and Old Rivals

Sakura, Syaoran and Old Rivals  
  
"Sakura, look out!" Tomoyo yelled as a bolt of lightning came crashing down.  
  
"Jump card!" Sakura yelled. Sakura leapt high into the air to avoid the bolt. She began to fall but managed to catch an updraft with fly.  
  
"Sakura get out of the air!" a concerned Syaoran shouted. Sakura flew between thunderbolts and landed on the ground next to Syaoran with a thud.  
  
"How are we going to seal it?" Sakura asked Syaoran.  
  
"Well duh, the same way we did last time, make it show it's true form." Syaoran looked at Sakura cockeyed. Sakura stood there, a little upset with Syaoran for being so brash to her. It reminded her of when he had just arrived years before. Back then he wasn't exactly thrilled with Sakura.  
  
"Rai Tei Sho Rai Kyu Jo Ritsu Ryo, Thunder!" The bolt from Syaoran's sword impacted a bolt coming down from the clouds. Li's thunder wasn't strong enough but it scattered the other bolt throughout the sky. There was a bright flash from all around, though the bolt was mostly dissipated, it still knocked Syaoran and Sakura to the ground. Syaoran sat up and leaned over Sakura's still body. Syaoran grabbed Sakura by the shoulders. "Sakura. Sakura!" Syaoran noticed that the air was suddenly still and silent. Sakura slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Syaoran. "I'm fine." He looked down at her. "Its here." Syaoran said grimly.  
  
A low pounding sound shook the air. Syaoran and Sakura turned around to see Raigui slowly walking toward them, his body emitting electrical bolts with each step. One bolt skipped across the ground and hit a transformer and it exploded in a great fireball raining down burning fragments engulfing the area in flames. A circle of fire surrounded the two magicians and the thunder beast. "Seal it!" Syaoran yelled at Sakura.  
  
"Right." Sakura said as she got up. "Return to your true form, Phantom card!" Sakura yelled. Raigui was reluctantly pulled into it's card. The card fell to Sakura's feet.  
  
Sakura turned to Syaoran and smiled. He looked down at Sakura and touched her cheek with his hand. "Are you all right?" Syaoran blushed and pulled his hand away. Sakura stood with a confused look for a moment but than smiled and said in a perky tone.  
  
"I'm fine." Syaoran, who was still blushing turned to see Tomoyo and Kero running to them. "Great capture Sakura, very dramatic." Tomoyo said with a grin. "Good job Sakura!" Kero said enthusiastically.  
  
"Oh, I can't take all the credit," Sakura linked her arm with Syaoran's "Syaoran helped a lot!" Syaoran blushed again, but concealed it from the three by turning to Kero.  
  
"When Sakura was falling why didn't you turn into your celestial form and catch her, you are one of her guardians aren't you?" Syaoran chastised Kero.  
  
"I draw my power from the cards, Fiery in particular, and since they are gone so are my powers, moron." Kero retorted.  
  
"Don't you think we should be getting out of here, the fire department will be here soon." Tomoyo said while Kero and Syaoran argued.  
  
"Your right, Kero were leaving." Sakura called. 'Chomp!' "Ow, get him off!" Syaoran yelled as he waved his hand around with Kero attached to his index finger.  
  
"It doesn't have any practical use. What is it for?" Tomoyo asked Sakura leaning across the lunch table.  
  
"Well, I don't know, maybe its for getting stuff out of my locker when I forget my combination." Sakura said as she popped the rest of her egg roll into her mouth.  
  
"I doubt that is what the through card is for." Syaoran said.  
  
"You never know." Sakura pointed out while chewing a mouth full of egg roll. The cold afternoon air was still, the sky a light gray. A tall, dark hared girl came bounding up and jumped onto Syaoran's lap. Meling, sitting on Syaoran's lap facing him, put her arms around his neck.  
  
"Guess what, Li!" She queued.  
  
"What, Meling." Syaoran responded in an uninterested tone.  
  
"The valentines Dance is coming up in a couple of weeks!" Meling said with excitement. Syaoran just sat there and rolled his eyes. Syaoran put his hands on Meling's hips and pushed her onto the chair next to his, Meling simply moved the chair close to his put her arm around his waste and put her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Oh yah, the dance!" Sakura said. "are you going, Syaoran?"  
  
"Of course we're going! All the couples are going to be there." Meling bluntly stated. Meling looked at Sakura oddly. "Who are you going with?" Meling asked Sakura. She sat for a moment and looked down at her lunch.  
  
"Well, ah, no one has really asked me yet. I was hoping that Yuki would come with me." Sakura said in a half embarrassed half-depressed tone of voice.  
  
"Hi everyone." Tomoyo said with a smile as she came strolling up. Tomoyo sat down next to Sakura. "How's your wrist, Li?" Tomoyo asked. Syaoran put his hand on the previously injured wrist.  
  
"It..." Syaoran paused and thought about how he was going to abandon everyone. "It'll be fine." Li said looking down, ashamed of his selfishness. Tomoyo realized she hit a chord and changed the subject.  
  
"I must say, one of your more interesting captures. Throwing a rock trough a window and all, who knew it would make Through turn to her physical form." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Apparently Sakura did," Syaoran interrupted. "how did you know to do that?" Sakura pondered for a moment. Syaoran looked at Sakura, her dark green eyes shimmered in the dull afternoon light, he became lost in them for a moment but looked away before Sakura noticed he was starring.  
  
"An uncontrollable urge to throw something through the window I guess." Sakura said half in trance from thinking about the capture and completely oblivious to the fact that Syaoran was starring at her. Sakura might not have noticed but Meling DID and she wasn't exactly happy about her Li starring at another girl, especially Sakura. The bell rang and everyone parted ways.  
  
The last bell rang and Sakura headed for the parking lot. Sakura felt a little depress as she usually did after sixth period as that was when Kako go a chance to show her up, and she did, again. As she walked down the crowded hallway of her high school she felt something, something she hadn't felt for a long time. Sakura looked up from the books in her hands and saw Syaoran in the doorway at the end of the hall, the light form out side shining around him, making his figure dark. His arms were folded across his chest and he did not look happy. Sakura approached him and stopped. Syaoran took a step toward Sakura, he stood very close to her. Sakura looked up at Syaoran. "You feel it to?" Sakura asked. Syaoran nodded. Sakura grabbed his hand and took off.  
  
"You can tell where it's coming from?" Syaoran asked as he ran beside Sakura.  
  
"Yah, over here." Sakura panted.  
  
Syaoran and Sakura arrived at the Penguin Park, a place where they had experienced so much together. They stood under a large tree looking around, but saw nothing. "It's coming from here, right here!" Sakura said.  
  
"I don't see anything." Syaoran said irritated but at the same time concerned. Two forms than dropped from the tree before Li and Sakura. "Ahh" Sakura let out a brief yelp and hid behind Syaoran. He stood in a defensive stance as if to protect Sakura.  
  
"That's a rather unusual greeting for old friends." A mysterious voice said. Sakura peeked around Syaoran's shoulder with one hand on his upper arm. Standing before Syaoran and Sakura was a tall, black-blue hared teen with small oval shaped glasses, on his shoulder was a small black creature with a long tail with a curl at the end and small butterfly wings. Next to him was a thin girl of about the same height with long brown hair with a thin braid on one side.  
  
"E...Eriol?" Sakura stammered. Sakura stepped forward to greet her old friend and nemesis. "It's so good to see you again! Have you come to help capture the phantom cards?" Sakura asked in her usual friendly tone. Eriol took Sakura's hands in his own, one hand underneath, one on top covering Sakura's.  
  
"Yes, indeed I have." Eriol said in his calm but tender voice. Sakura smiled.  
  
Nakuru, who had been shifting her weight from side to side for the last few minuets, was very board. Also Spinel was looking rather unoccupied, his mind obviously wandering.  
  
Eriol look at Syaoran noticing that he was a bit stiff. "Descendent, I see you have beaten me here."  
  
"Erk-" Syaoran felt on the spot. "Er, ah, I'm sure If you, er, if Clow's in his infinite wisdom would have wanted to."  
  
"Come, come, Syaoran, I meant nothing by it. I am simply happy you are here." Eriol said calming Syaoran.  
  
"Now that we are reacquainted, we should discuss the matter at hand in more detail, come with me." Eriol commanded the group.  
  
"Where are we going?" Sakura asked.  
  
"To my home, we have much to discuss." Eriol stated.  
  
"I remember that place, it was such a beautiful house. Is it the same one?" Sakura and Eriol began to chat as they walked. Syaoran felt slightly left out but followed. Sakura remembered something rather important. "Kero!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Ah yes the guardian beast of the seal, I had almost forgotten about that loud mouthed animal, too bad." Spinnal said in his British accent.  
  
"Hey don't talk about Kero that way!" Sakura snapped as she thought she saw Syaoran chuckling out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Yes, the Clow mistress's guardians, Kerobearos, and Yue. They should also attend our meeting, where are they?" Eriol asked.  
  
"Well, Kero is at home probably fighting with Touya over food in the fridge...but Yueh..." Sakura trailed off. "Actually, Yue hasn't come around since this all started." Eriol stopped and faced Sakura.  
  
"Do not worry, our beloved Yue will join us shortly." Eriol smiled at Sakura. "Since Kero is not with us, we will go to him, Touya should be included in this to. His power has grown strong again and he will be a great asset." Eriol said with optimism.  
  
"Sakura!" an approaching voce called. A pretty young girl with ash gray hair ran up the group with another girl close at her heels. 


	7. Sakura, and the Council of Eriol

Sakura and the Council of Eriol  
  
Tomoyo and Meling ran up to the group of magicians and celestial creatures. "Li! Where have you been? I was waiting for you at the front gate for ten minuets!" Meling sounded very agitated. "And why are you with Sakura, again! And who are they?" She scolded with a bit of her old jealousies blaring through.  
  
Eriol smiled slyly. "Perhaps you don't remember me, it was several years ago after all and we only met briefly. I am Eriol Hiragizawa, an old friend of Sakura and Syaoran's."  
  
"You're a friend of Li's?" Meling looked at Eriol and than at Syaoran.  
  
"Aaaah, yah." Syaoran said unsure if 'friend' was the most appropriate term.  
  
"Well, if you're a friend of Li's than you're a friend of mine." She said.  
  
"I say, this could not be more dull." Spinnal said as he fluttered next to Nakuru's head.  
  
"I think I agree with you here." Nakuru muttered as she idly played with the braid in her hair. Eriol glanced at the two unoccupied souls.  
  
"Very well, we should be on our way. Sakura, I don't believe it is far to your house, is it?" Eriol said.  
  
"Yah, but Tomoyo usually takes me home, I think we can all fit in her car though." Sakura looked at Tomoyo who had been recording with her camera since she got there.  
  
"Well, seven is pushing it, but I think we can do it." Tomoyo said as she lowered her camera. The now larger group trekked back to the school and piled into the car. Nakuru, Meling and Syaoran in the back with Syaoran in the middle seat and Spinel on Nakuru's shoulder, Tomoyo Sakura and Eriol in the front with Tomoyo driving, Sakura in the middle and Eriol in the passengers side seat. The group arrived at their destination and piled out of the car. Spinel noticed a sinister smile across Nakuru's lips.  
  
"And just what are you smiling about?" He asked calmly.  
  
"You'll see." Nakuru said slyly.  
  
The group arrived at the doorstep of the Kinomoto residence and Sakura opened the door and everyone poured in. Sakura heard yelling from the kitchen. She and Syaoran went to investigate, although it wouldn't take three guesses to figure out what it was.  
  
"It's mine! Sakura said I could have it!" Kero yelled. He then head butted Touya's forehead and knocked him back a few feet.  
  
"Ow! You little sonofa... Sakura! You finally got home. Where have you bee..." Touya noticed Syaoran Standing behind watching the fight appearing amused. "What is HE doing here!? I thought he moved back to China a long time ago!" Touya and Syaoran exchanged dirty looks.  
  
"Everybody is here!" Sakura said happily. Touya looked around the corner to the large gathering in the living room. One person in the group caught his eye. Her back was turned but he recognized her immediately.  
  
"Nakuru?!" In response to Touya's inquiry Nakuru turned and bounded toward him.  
  
"Touya!" Nakuru threw her arms around Touya's neck and hung on him with her feet dangling above the ground. Touya still had a look of shock on his face and couldn't get anything out but high pitched squeaks. "Aren't you happy to see me, Touya?" Nakuru said in a hurt but artificial tone. Once Touya regained his composure he grabbed Naruku's waist and pried her off his shoulders. Once her feet were on the ground he thought she might pounce again so he griped her shoulders firmly.  
  
"No I'm not happy to see you, the last time I saw you, you almost killed Yukito!" Touya yelled. Nakuru put her hands on Touya's arms trying to get him to loosen his grip on her.  
  
"I did no such thing, I was fighting with Yue, not Yukito, and besides it was a long time ago." Nakuru gave Touya a smug smile.  
  
"Yes. That is now all in the past." Eriol said as everyone listened and looked toward him. "We must now plan for the future."  
  
"Agreed. Sakura shouldn't have to collect the cards alone again!" Touya said.  
  
"You knew!?" Sakura said to her brother as she ran to him.  
  
Touya looked at his little sister with the 'you dumb little monster' look on his face. "Of course I knew. I just didn't want to say anything because I had a feeling that something like this would happen."  
  
Sakura looked at Touya half confused and half upset with his secrecy. He put his hands on his hip and turned away from her maintaining that he did nothing wrong or sneaky. "Anyway," He looked at Eriol. "I suppose you have some things to tell us about the situation. After all, you always seem to know what's going on anyway."  
  
"Indeed I do." Eriol said. "But there is still one member of the group that has not joined us."  
  
"Yukito." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Yes. Yukito and Yue." Eriol said in response.  
  
"No, I mean he's at the door." Tomoyo said pointing to the window next to the front door. Right then the door bell rang and Sakura answered it and let Yuki in.  
  
"There sure are a lot of people here. Is it someone's birthday?" Yukito said as he came in. After Touya explained to Yuki just what in the hell was going on, everyone found a seat in the living room (somehow).  
  
Eriol stood before the group. "As we all know, the cards have been released once again and I am sure that all of you are concerned about Sakura and her safety as this is very much a different case than when first she captured them. And you are right to be concerned, but not only for Sakura but for all our safety as well. You see unlike before when the cards' main focus was on Sakura this time the cards' behavior has been influenced and is unpredictable."  
  
"But influenced by what?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Yes, by what?" Eriol said. "I have only a partial answer for you on that point. But I think it best to tell this story from where it most recently first began." Eriol looked at Syaoran. He looked downwards and seemed quite depressed once again. Sakura could sense that he was, and she could also tell that this was what he had been keeping from her from the start.  
  
"Well." Syaoran started but trailed off as if unwilling to share.  
  
"Syaoran," Eriol said. "I know it was painful for you but you must tell us."  
  
Syaoran had a sneaking suspicion that Eriol already knew at least something about what he was about to say. Despite this feeling he bent to Eriol's will. "Back home, in Hong Kong one and a half months ago the same wind came as did when this all started, here in Tomeda. And as it was here, there was a voice on that wind. The elders of my clan were the first to sense its coming but by then it was too late. The voice summoned a storm of incredible strength and destroyed most of my home. Many were injured and some were killed and there as nothing anyone could do, not even me."  
  
Sakura was scared and saddened by this. She remembered Syaoran had once told her that it was he who had the strongest magic in his family, and for him not to be able to do anything must have crushed him Sakura thought. 'He feel's responsible for their deaths too.'  
  
"After it was all over I sensed that it had left and was gone. The elders and I didn't know anything of what it was or where it came from but we did know one thing: that it was looking for something. It seemed to be drawn to Clow's magic; it went right for me and the deriveter first, that's why I came here, his magic is stronger here than anywhere else in the world. And when I got here I found out that suspicions were right; it was after the Clow, the cards and Sakura."  
  
"Thank you, Syaoran." Eriol said compassionately. "Than this is the second it has struck, but thanks to the two of you, Sakura, Syaoran, we still have a chance. You asked what could be influencing the cards. My answer for you is this: there is no way to know for certain but I do have an educated guess that I am quite certain is the right one." Eriol said. The air became quiet and everyone listened intently.  
  
"The beginning of this story started long ago. Long before the attack on Syaoran's home and before Sakura first captured the cards. It started in the time of Clow's life. He had already created the cards and his power was great. Few could rival him."  
  
Kero flew in front of the group seeming to be in a panic. "You don't mean."  
  
"Yes Kerobaros." Eriol said as he raised his hand in the air commanding Kero to calm himself.  
  
"What Kerobaros refers to has passed out of almost all knowledge for it was so long ago and never recorded in any readable texts." Eriol said and Sakura wondered what he meant by 'readable'.  
  
Eriol continued: "In that ancient time of Clow, there were many sorcerers, magicians and wizards. Some very powerful, almost as powerful as Clow, and some mediocre." Eriol explained as Kero looked at Li in reference to the 'mediocre' part.  
  
Li pulled out a fire scroll and threw it at Kero. He flew across the room to avoid the flames.  
  
Sakura turned to the boys. "Knock it off!" She whined. After the interruption Eriol once again continued his story.  
  
"As with all people some choose to do good and others evil. The same is so for sorcerers. Clow was by all means a doer of good. However his chief rival was not. Salcon the Wicked. He did justice to his name for he was cruel and unforgiving. He was also greedy. He wanted what Clow had because they were equals in power and Salcon would not have it. For years he prepared for battle with the help of dark magic and creatures of evil that he gathered to himself. He had become stronger than Clow and he fought him.  
  
'But he was short sited for he underestimated the power of the cards and their guardians. Though commanded by Clow they drew their power from the sun and the moon.  
  
'And unlike Salcon, Clow had many friends to aid him, one of which who's power was even greater than his own. This was the sorcerer, Eutealemiegn. He fought along side Clow and the cards. He was of an ancient race of half man half creature called the Pealu'rogh. He was of a power different than Clow's, a much more ancient power devoted to the part of the world's magic concerning battle and war. He was a soldier of the ancient world the likes of which this world has not seen since those times of old. His race was great at one time but no longer, with his people extinct and gone.  
  
'The cards were Clow's army. Eutealemaegn and his son, Eumalecrhn his chief allies. Together they fought the evil creatures of Salcon and pushed him back to his dark place of evil deeds, the dark tower Salzade. With Salcon's army of creatures defeated, Clow himself with the help of Shield card and the Sword card did battle with Salcon atop his tower."  
  
Time stopped for Sakura and Li as the word 'sword' echoed in their minds. Their eyes met and they silently exchanged looks of apprehension and confusion as Eriol's words reminded them of the ballad. Once out of their trance they listened even more intently than before to the end of the story.  
  
"Clow boar the great Sword Card and it glistened free from it's chains in his hands in the form of a long broadsword. Salcon was armed with only his favored magical weapon: a long halberd which glinted in the moonlight. They battled fiercely for two days and two nights but the end finally came on the second night when the moon shone full in the sky.  
  
'With a mighty blow from his winged sword Clow beheaded Salcon and his body fell to the ground below. Salcon was dead. And without him his tower could not stand. As Clow summoned the Float card the tower disappeared with the wind like dark smoke. All that remained at the foot of the hill where the tower had stood was his halberd, it's point buried in the earth."  
  
Everyone sat in awe of the prolific story. Sakura sat drawn up with her arms encompassing her legs. She rested her face on her knees and thought about the story trying to make a connection between it and their current situation. Though it could be said that she was doing the exact opposite because she knew what it would mean. Suddenly she felt something touch her shoulder and she snapped her head around to find Syaoran standing behind the couch she was on, one hand on her shoulder. He was not looking at her but she could tell that he was being kind to her.  
  
"But this story is not yet finished." Eriol sad to Sakura's dismay. "We have been calling the entity possessing the cards the 'Phantom' and that is what it has been; an unknown apparition, but no longer. You see because of the circumstances of Salcon's death; by the blade of a supernatural sword, his spirit lived on, as a poltergeist, a ghost."  
  
The room once again was in complete silence and Sakura was at her wit's end and figuratively ready to cry. After a time the silence was broken by Sakura. "But. but how do we defeat something that is a. is." She stammered.  
  
"That is already dead." Syaoran finished. "And just where is this Salcon hiding? I haven't sensed a ghost in a long time. Not even when Sakura scattered the cards to keep them away from the Phantom or when my clan was attacked. If it is controlling the cards I should be able to tell. So why can't I?"  
  
"The punk kid has a point." Touya said agreeing with Syaoran to both of their surprises. "I've sensed nothing."  
  
"There are several possible answers to your questions." Eriol said. "If you remember, when I first came you could not sense my power. The same is so for Salcon. Anyone with enough power can hide it. But to the matter of not sensing anything from the cards. My guess is, is that you assume that the phantom is inhabiting the cards which is not so. Salcon has most likely divided his power between the cards but has not actually shown himself since he first tried to take them. If this is true than we can count on two things: he does not control the cards and than he is weakened. Both are to our advantage."  
  
"Good! Then if he is weak then it shouldn't be any trouble beating him right?" Sakura said optimistically.  
  
"You are right on that point Sakura." Eriol said but he did so not with a smile which concerned Sakura and the others. "But Salcon although short sighted, has had many years to prepare for his deeds this day. He has almost certainly brought with him protection aside from the cards. Even if we do find him, reckoning with his forces will not be so easy."  
  
"You said 'find him' but you haven't told us where he is!" Syaoran said trying to keep his respect in check of his animosity toward the phantom.  
  
"For reason, descendent, I cannot tell you what I do not know." Eriol said. "But I can guess. Since he is in a weakened state and being a earth-bound spirit, or one who's passage to the next world is blocked, he is most likely residing in one place, a place of natural power like somewhere where laylines intersect such as a shrine or even in or around an object relating to him."  
  
"What did you mean by 'reckoning with his forces'? What forces? Do you mean people?" Touya asked.  
  
"That may be. His protection could be a number of things. People in his bloodline for example for he had several children by his wife, Mesiko. And of his army some survived. They were demons with the ability to change their form and they were powerful foes. Kerobaros, Spinnal, Ruby and Yue will attest to that as it was they who fought and defeated some of them."  
  
With that Sakura glance at Yukito with wonder. "But." She said but wasn't sure how to say what she was feeling. She wished to address the issue of Yue's absence but she couldn't put it into words. Without anything more she looked elsewhere out the window and he noted the orange dim light streaming in from the setting sun.  
  
Eriol addressed the group in closing. "Enough has been said for this day. It is becoming night and we all need our rest so we are for the time adjured. But keep in mind to be watchful. Things are not what they seem right now and danger and peril may come from anywhere so I tell you, be watchful. Of your surroundings and each other. We here are united in our cause and bound to protect each other."  
  
The group started to disperse as Eriol, Nakuru and Spinel left and Touya gave Yukito a ride home. Syaoran left with Meling but Tomoyo agreed to stay the night with the still bewildered Sakura and the ever hungry Kero.  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo Waved to everyone as they left and the day's happenings seemed to be over. But as Syaoran and Meling were walking back to their apartment Syaoran thought he sensed something and looked to the nearby trees of the park. "What is it Li?" Meling asked while squeezing his arm as she was a bit shaken by the afternoon. He didn't respond right away. Instead he gazed into the thick forested area but then he blinked and it seemed to be gone. "Li?" Meling asked again.  
  
"It's nothing." He looked at the almost scared girl and felt for once happy that she was with him. "let's go home." To her delight he smiled and put his arm around her and they walked off into the sunset.  
  
As Syaoran and Meling disappeared from sight a tall black haired girl dropped from a tree. She starred off in the direction of the two and sighed with relief. She leaned against the trunk of the large tree she was in and ran her fingers over her lips. 'Syaoran.' she said very quietly.  
  
"That was close!" there came an obnoxious voice from behind the tree. She jumped and turned around to see stepping out form behind a tall guy appearing about 22 years old, wearing a red sweater with a zipper and hood. He was thin and had short black hair tipped red and light brown almost sinister eyes. "The boy almost found you out, Kako." The guy said as he put his hands on Kako's shoulders.  
  
She pulled herself away from him with disgust. "What do you want Dorameir?" She said crossing her arms and leaning on the tree.  
  
He stood over Kako and grabbed her arm tightly. "What have you been told, girl! Do not call me by that name! You may call me by my earth name while we are in this place." She looked at his contemptuous gaze and then looked away. He tightened his grip and struck her with the back of his other hand. "Do as I say!" His voice change and became a shrill and disturbing hiss.  
  
"Yes..." She said in a defeated tone. ".Dorian."  
  
He let her go and she put her hand on her red paining cheek. "That's better." Dorian said in his normal voice almost playfully completely dismissing what he had just done. "I'm here because he want's to see you, and he doesn't seem very happy with you. I mean, you've been here for almost a week and have done nothing. It would piss me off too." Dorian laughed.  
  
"Yah, well you and the others haven't exactly done anything either." Kako said but wished she had not. Dorian looked down at her and she felt a weight on her by his eyes. He struck her again harder than before knocking her to the ground. Kako didn't scream. She didn't cry. But the taste of blood in her mouth and the feeling of helplessness in her heart made her want to do both. But she knew that if she did she would not live long enough for any help to arrive. She stayed on the ground without movement as she felt Dorian's hateful gaze on her.  
  
"Watch your mouth!" Dorian hissed. "Keep in mind that though your power protects you from the Clow Mistress and her allies, they don't protect you from me and the others. We know who you are."  
  
Kako picked herself up and wiped the blood from her lips. She looked at the cruel Dorian and he starred back with an evil smirk. "Best not keep him waiting." He said.  
  
With some reluctance to turn her back on him, Kako left.  
  
The trees, the streets, the building and everything else seemed dark and ominous as Kako walked. It was past sundown now and the street lights had come on. She stood beneath one simply to postpone arrival. She took out her compact and looked at her face. The skin over her cheek bone on the right side of her face was bruised and stung. It was from the first hit. Her lip was cut and still bleeding but it had only a dull pain from the second hit. Over her left eyebrow there was the remnants of another bruise by Dorian's hand. To conceal it she had not been to school that day and it seemed to her that she would not be attending the next either.  
  
She put her compact away and began walking again. After a while she came to the entrance to a shrine. The sign on the passage beams read 'Tsukimine Shrine'. She walked through and the air on the inside of the shrine seemed colder than the air outside. The air didn't blow but seemed to be moving about Kako. It moved over her and over her like searching hands as if it were seeking her identity. It was an unpleasant feeling as if being touched against her wish. With the air came echoes of voices in the distance. Though mysterious and ominous they seemed to be calling a warning of a threat.  
  
Kako came to the main reliquary of the shrine. It's doors were already cast open. As she passed through them the seeking air about her and the voices faded away into the dark of the night. A dark that permeated the building almost entirely. The only light in the hall before her was from few torches here and there and the patchy light of the moon through the trees and the doors. Though Kako disliked the comfortless tidings of the outside she much preferred them to the tactility of the reliquary. The shrine; it was a place of peace and meditation but no longer. Darkness had fallen upon it.  
  
Through the hall there was a stair and Kako descended it to a dim room with linen drapery hanging from the beams over her head. There were many and they overlapped obstructing all view. The room was dim like the hall, illuminated only by the firelight of hundreds of candles along the walls in between the rows of hangings. The flickering of the candles made the shadows of the room flicker and jump as if trying to escape the forlorn place.  
  
Kako moved in between the drapery through the seemingly long room. She came to the end of the room to a space where the hangings only adorned the walls. On the back wall there was an alter with tall smooth-burning oil lamps to each side. In the center of the alter there was burning incense and on a woven cloth an ancient looking human skull. On the floor before it were hundreds of candles covering the floor except in a circle in the center of this part of the room.  
  
Kako with apprehension stepped into the circle. There was a deep rumbling sound and the room became dimmer as the candles' flames grew suddenly smaller all around. Kako could feel the fear rising in her as she held herself with again a feeling of helplessness. She closed her eyes and knelt to the ground. Then after the room seemed silent and still a voice came. "Descendent." The voice was low but tumultuous; assaulting Kako with malice.  
  
Kako place her hands on the ground in front of her and rested her head on them. "Master." She replied.  
  
A cold air blew amid the trees of the shrine and the crescent moon shed little light. The dark of the eve was deep and the sprits of the night were about the trees. They were in unrest as the leaves and branches swayed with the winds. They dared to rise to the tops of the trees to look out upon the woods but they fled back down for from the shrine there was heard the horrible scream of a girl and then there was silence and great sorrow.  
  
Author's Notes: Eutealemaegn is pronounced U-tal-Eh-main. And Pealu'rogh is Pa_-lu-rok with a long A. Eumalecrhen is pronounced U-mal-eh-cren. 


	8. Sakura,Eriol and the Sun atDawn and Dusk

Sakura, Eriol and the Sun at Dawn and Dusk  
  
As Sakura and Tomoyo stepped out of her car in the parking lot of their high school they were met by three others; Syaoran, Meling and Eriol. For a few minuet they conversed by Tomoyo's car. They spoke about things they thought they might have felt and what it may mean as the power in Tomoeda had been turbulent since the council. Every morning and sometimes several more times during the day, depending on the need, they gathered together and spoke and basically made sure everyone was still alive.  
  
More plans and strategies had been contrived by Eriol with help from all the others in the group. This was one of them: to gather and make sure of everyone's safety and to share knowledge or information acquired by individual members. Another strategy used was they never left anyone alone. Eriol had structured his classes at the school to fill the gaps in where Sakura or Tomoyo didn't have anyone else in her class. It was easy enough because Sakura and Tomoyo had all but 2 classes together and Li and Meling had every one together.  
  
Touya, Yukito and Nakuru all attended the same college courses and Touya reluctantly quit four of his jobs that Yukito and Nakuru couldn't get hired at. Since there were only three of them they all had to stick together at all times during school and work. This was an unpopular idea with Touya. By these rules Yukito and Tomoyo were almost living at the Kinomoto house and Sakura's dad was beginning to suspect that something was going on although his theories would be way off base.  
  
Also during the day when Sakura's house was empty Kero and Spinel were told by Eriol to be with one another. Neither liked it but they both saw the necessity of it and made the best of the situation by ignoring each other.  
  
It had been a week since the council and Sakura now with the help of all the others had caught up on her capturing. There had been a particularly bad storm that week rivaling the one the night the cards were released again. It was the work of both the Rain and the Storm card, for reason it was so bad. With the Thunder card and Syaoran's lightning scrolls Sakura sealed them and Rain went to her and Storm went to Syaoran. Next came the Power card and the Fight. But oddly enough they were fighting each other and causing a lot of damage to the city. Lifting them both off the ground with Windy, Sakura sealed them. The Fight went to her but the Power went to Syaoran.  
  
The third round of the week was the most confusing with the Mirror card making a mischievous double of every one in the group! It took everyone working together to solve that one. But in the end and at the end of a long and confusing day the doubles were rounded up and out of sheer frustration Syaoran forced it back to it's physical form with both his lightning and fire scrolls. This upset Sakura, she thought he was being unnecessarily brutal, but the day had been particularly difficult for him. That card went to Sakura.  
  
It was the beginning of a Friday and the group in the parking lot was already tired. The phrase on everyone's mind was: "Five cards in one week! There is NO God." School started and everyone trekked to their homeroom. By now the teacher had given up at even bothering to take role and just sat at his desk ignoring the class. This was fortunate for the group as they all had it together; Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, Meling and Eriol. It gave them more time to discuss the situation. But with their environment they didn't speak much of it for fear of someone overhearing. Truth be told, it was in this part of the day that they were farthest apart in a manner of speaking. Or this is how Sakura viewed it. Over the last few days and defiantly to Meling's dismay, Syaoran had been standing away from the group with Kako talking.  
  
Today was no different. Tomoyo and Eriol chatted while Meling sat and brooded and Sakura lay her head on her crossed arms on her desk tired, looking secretly at Syaoran and Kako. Sakura was exhausted from the week and all she wanted to do was relax and find some contentment, but she found it hard to obtain looking at the two over by the window for some reason. 'It could be the rain' she thought. The sky had been dark and cloudy with lightly falling rain ever since the storm. It was bringing everyone down.  
  
Sakura felt herself becoming very suspicious of Kako thought she was fighting the thought that it was jealousy. As she watched the two the sun broke through the clouds and a warm glow of sunlight came from the window encompassing Syaoran and Kako. As it did Syaoran smiled down at her and she smiled back touching his arm as if they were laughing warmly together. With that Sakura gave out a quiet moan of wariness accompanied by overall discomfort. She turned her head the other way and Eriol, sitting in the next desk looked down at her. "Do not worry" He said to her. "He is a very loyal person. And like us all, is probably just searching for normalcy and comfort from our difficult times."  
  
Sakura sat up and leaned on her hand and looked at Eriol with her head sideways. "I know, but." She said but didn't finish. Eriol looked at her. Her eyes had wondered away from his in a haze of dismay. Though Eriol was by some means much older than Sakura, physically he was her age and he understood.  
  
"Sakura" Eriol said attempting to draw Sakura out of her trance. She looked back up at him. "I wish you to come to my home today. There has been much toil and a proper meal is necessary to give you new strength."  
  
With this Sakura's face grew a little brighter. "You want me to have lunch with you?" She said.  
  
"Yes, I do." Eriol said. Just then the bell rung and everyone started to leave. Sakura and Eriol stood and he spoke to her again putting a hand on her shoulder: "None of us are alone. We have each other and if you need someone there will be always someone there." Sakura was somehow moved by Eriol's words and without thinking she hugged him around the waist and pressed her face on his chest under his chin not discernibly happy but not sad anymore either.  
  
In a hallway at Touya's collage, he, Yukito and Nakuru stood leaning on the wall waiting around for a while before their afternoon shift at the restaurant they all worked at started. Yukito happily ate a sandwich whilst Nakuru played with the braid in her hair leaning on the side of Touya's arm. The three of them hadn't sensed anything the entire day and boardom was eating at them. Touya tried to ignore the pesky girl on his left arm as he watched the many people in the hall pass by.  
  
Suddenly Yuki stopped eating and Nakuru stopped twiddling with her hair. She looked up at Touya and saw that the expression on his face suggested that he sensed something. The same thing that Yukito and Nakuru just felt. Touya's eyes searched the hall for the source of whatever it was, as did Nakuru's. They found nothing. "What is it?" Yukito asked Touya quietly.  
  
"I don't know. It was like." He said but was silenced by Nakuru's hand over his mouth. She stepped in front of the boys.  
  
"Quiet!" She said in a whisper. "We should discuss this somewhere else." Nakuru took Touya's arm and started to walk away and Yukito followed.  
  
Just as they began to move there was a loud voice from behind. "Touya!" Just as it was heard a hand struck Touya on the shoulder with a friendly thump. Touya turned around and saw a tall guy with a crooked smile wearing a red jacket. "Touya." He repeated. "What's up?"  
  
"Oh, hi Dorian." Touya said. "I was just going somewhere with my friends so I'll see you later." Touya began to turn around but Dorian stopped him again.  
  
"Friends?" He said. "Rude of you not to introduce me."  
  
Touya rolled his eyes with frustration. He motioned to his two companions. "That's Nakuru. And That's Yukito." He said hurriedly.  
  
"Hi guys." Dorian said to the two as he stepped to them. He looked at Nakuru and put his finger under her chin. "You're a pretty thing. Maybe we could get to know each other a little better some time, huh?" Nakuru reared her head back with a distasteful look on her face. Touya smiled slightly.  
  
"Gross." A girl's high voice said from behind the group. Touya glanced toward her. She was standing with her hand on her hip starring at Dorian. She was tall and shapely with short neon green hair and dark eye shadow. She wore a tight plastic-material dress that shined in the light. It had a low cut top and a short skirt and over it she wore a small gray jacket. "I'd be careful there girl. Let him get too close and you might catch something." She said to Nakuru.  
  
Dorian looked at the green-haired girl for a moment with a displeased look and then bounced over to her and put his arm around her neck playfully. "Don't mind her." He said messing up her hair as she gave him a dirty look. "It's just always that time of the month for her." She then backhanded him.  
  
Nakuru and Touya looked at each other not exactly knowing what to think. As Dorian made sure his nose wasn't broken the girl in green introduced herself. "I'm Traya." She said in a friendly voice.  
  
"I'm Nakuru, and these two are Touya and Yukito." Nakuru said.  
  
"Hi." She said with a smile and a wave. "We've got ta go but I hope I'll be seeing all of you around!" She smiled again and turned around and linked arms with Dorian dragging him away backwards.  
  
"I'll catch you later, Touya!" Dorian said as he was dragged around a corner.  
  
With that Nakuru looked at Touya. "Friends of yours?" She said in a half suspicious half jealous sort of way.  
  
Touya didn't respond. He starred down the hall to where the two disappeared round a corner. He looked to Nakuru almost angry, but not the sort of angry he normally displayed such as toward her; no, but it seemed almost a hatred was boiling just below his calm and normally controlled surface. Though he never practiced magic such as her own, Naruku knew that Touya's wrath was not a laughing matter. She believed that he still had undiscovered power and that if he fought he would not be easily cast aside.  
  
For this reason she was cautious when rousing him again. His arms were crossed and he made no sign of movement. Nakuru put a careful hand on his arm. "Touya?" She said concerned that whatever was going on inside of him would lash out at any who disturbed him. But he ignored her only slightly changing his footing.  
  
Standing at his two companion's sides this whole time without a word, Yukito finally chimed in with a hand on Touya's forearm. "We don't want to be late for work do we? We had better get a move on!" He said looking up at Touya's desolate expression. In just a moment the anger and hate in him was replaced with lighthearted mirth as he looked at his Yuki.  
  
He smiled. "You're right." He said and then started walking with his two companions away. Nakuru was always amazed at how effective Yukito was on Touya. But she also knew something that Touya hadn't considered or refused to for many years about his attachment to Yukito. She thought: 'Though you and Yuki care about each other, your relationship was not based on what you would have it. He came to you first because of your power. He needed a crutch and you treat him in much the same way but you do not see your error; though Yukito cares for you, or appears to, he is not the dominate soul. Beneath lies Yue of whom cares almost nothing for Yukito. In time as the one who you call Yukito wanes, your dependency will be forced to another or to none at all. And then, I hope, you will be able to stand alone without him.'  
  
Away back in the hall and around the corner Dorian and Traya walked and were suddenly pulled aside by others. There were three; the first who had pulled Dorian to the side of the hall by his arm, a very tall guy in dark brown clothes with an unfriendly but well groomed face that told of a long history. The second; a girl with long blue-black hair with a fair face and an innocent aura to her. And the third was a boy seemingly of younger age than the others, also he was not tall like Dorian but an average height. His clothes were simple enough: white pants with a white long sleeved shirt. He had wavy silver-white hair to his shoulders and a thin even tempered face. An altogether unthreatening appearance this one had.  
  
The one holding Dorian held his grip and spoke in a deep voice. "You take too many careless risks!" He looked at Traya and then back at Dorian. "And you're a bad influence on my little sister."  
  
Dorian struggled a bit in the guy's grasp. Traya put herself between the two and pushed them apart looking at her brother. "Quit it, Roan. We don't need to fight here."  
  
Dorian looked at the girl between him and Roan. "And why is that?" He said to her. "Are you afraid we may hurt some innocent humans? Your soft heart for them will be your death!" Roan stepped forward with anger but his sister held him back by pressing him against the lockers not allowing him to move from her.  
  
The other girl stepped to Roan's side to join Traya in containing him. "Roan's right. You shouldn't risk all just for you personal amusement." She said in a voice like beaded glass scattering about a marble floor. "What we do we do from afar. You know that."  
  
Dorian felt anger at being turned on. He looked at Dieae with a sneer. "You would do better to trust me rather than these half-breeds, Dieae! They are not our equal."  
  
"You know where I stand." Dieae replied back calmly.  
  
"Enough of this!" The shorter one of the group in white said. He then looked at Dorian. "Roan is right. You flirt with danger and would likely still be if Traya hadn't intervened. You risk everything on a whim and I will not have it!"  
  
Dorian stood for a moment looking anywhere but at the other's face but then he spoke. "There wasn't any and there hasn't been any harm to it. Not as long as we hide ourselves from them, Rashein." He very suddenly sounded serious and almost combative.  
  
The others thought for a moment on his words. There seemed some logic to them but the one in white; Rashein, wasn't phased. "You forget something though, Dorian." His voice became like a snake's. "Though they cannot sense our power, humans and those in human guise still have suspicion. It is in their nature. Suspicion and treachery. You do not fear humans, and that will be your death if you are not careful."  
  
Dorian was livid with sedition now, he was by his nature, and he looked at Rashein as if he wished to kill him. The others gave the two a span. Though Dorian didn't dare to act on his anger out of self-preservation and fear. But he did not do nothing. He spoke to the one in white in another dialect. "Dol ebrem kegst sen dthel orm ketsrow." His voice became dark and evil in its sounding. The meaning of the words no human ever knew but the three to the side knew their meaning well. Something to the effect of where Dorian would take the one in white.  
  
The three stood in almost mortal fear, both of the girls clung to Roan as if he would serve some protection for them. But for the moment Rashein made no sign. He starred into Dorian's eyes and he stared back unable to move entranced. The deep blue of Rashein's eyes seemed like the endless waves of a turbulent and violent sea. Time slowed in the hallway in which these creatures stood. The three watched as the people going by slowed almost to a stop.  
  
Rage came to Rashein's face now and he took Dorian's neck in the grasp of one hand and with ease but the brutality of anger he forced Dorian's body to the wall with inhumanly force. Rashein's hair flowed back as if caught in a wind and his form became dark with shadow. A burning orange were his eyes and the form of a true demon appeared before the others. And he spoke, terrible and black: "If you speak the Dark Language in this domain once more you will die a most horrible death by my hand and my hand alone!"  
  
Choking and barely hanging onto life, Dorian was dropped from his bond to the floor where he lay breathing barely and hard. Time returned to its normal pace but none noticed his plight.  
  
It was now toward the end of the school day for Sakura and the others. She had told Tomoyo to go with Syaoran and Meling and that she would be with Eriol that afternoon. Tomoyo insisted on coming but Sakura said something about it being a 'special' lunch just between the two of them. Tomoyo had more questions but Sakura said she didn't have time and went with Eriol.  
  
The two arrived at Eriol's house and it was as large and beautiful as Sakura had remembered it. Lunch had already been laid out for them in a private dining room with tall windows with crimson hanging drapes. The room was large but comfortable with a warm fire on the east wall and their small table seated in the corner to its right with the tall windows pointing east and south. On the table there was on a white tablecloth tall red candles and a fine lunch.  
  
With all courtesy Eriol seated Sakura, pulling out her chair and sitting second like any proper gentleman. For a time as they ate and spoke of unimportant things such as the welfare of her father and what England was like, the meal, as Eriol had said gave Sakura new strength in that she was starting to relax and become content in her present place. Sakura smiled at across the small table and he smiled back. For a time anyway. Sakura saw his smiles were not as vibrant as they once were or could be; she didn't know which. They didn't seem false, he was being sincere but something was bothering him and Sakura could tell.  
  
By the time their meal had ended and the maids had cleared the table before them Sakura could tell that Eriol undoubtedly had something pressing on his mind. But she sensed that he was hesitant to share it with her. He was now starring out the window with his hands laid one over the other on the table and he seemed distant. He was lulled out of his gaze by Sakura's soft hands over his. He looked upon her and she seemed very pleasant even in the dreary light of a rainy afternoon. She wished to say something reassuring to him but she could think of nothing to say to the one who seemed to be the wisest with all the answers and advice to give.  
  
A slight smile came to his face and he took Sakura's hand in his own "I thank you, Sakura." He said finally, looking into her eyes.  
  
"For what?" She said softly.  
  
"For you. The sight of your smile is more than my council could ever do. It has helped clear my mind." Eriol said. Then his smile became dimmer once again. "There are things that I must discuss with you. Things that I cannot share with the others just yet. Not even Nakuru and Spinel." He stood with Sakura still in had and brought her to stand by the fireplace. He sat her in a ornate armchair of crimson-red velvet and he stood by the mantle turned away from Sakura toward the windows.  
  
"The time of wizards and magicians has been waning for many years." He started. "I had thought our time in this world would never end at one point in my lifetimes. But there are very few left with magic and fewer who know how to use it. But times change and no one, not even the wises can predict the course of history as it unfolds. Not even those with such fabled talents as fortune telling."  
  
"You were a fortune teller weren't you?" Sakura interrupted.  
  
"Yes, I was. Though now that with you help those yeas ago that I have divided my magic between you father and myself those abilities aren't as trustworthy. But you must also understand that they never were. For you see Sakura, despite what some have no doubt told you in the past, that everything is meant to happen, it is no so. Not to the degree of destiny anyway. There are things that are 'meant' to happen, yes. You found the Clow. But you did so because you could, not because it was destined to be yours. I looked into the future and saw that it would be yours yes, but it could have as well been the descendant's. But chance intervened and the book went to you. And it is just as well. You both made excellent Clow Masters.  
  
'But I digress. It would seem that our time, the time of magicians, was coming to a close up until recently. The events of the recent days tells of a revival of the old ways." Said Eriol.  
  
"That's good then." Sakura said. "It will be more like it was when Clow was alive then."  
  
Eriol turned to Sakura with haste. "No! if a revival there was it would be dark and destructive! There would be war the likes of which this world has not seen for centuries! The revival would start with Salcon, curse him, but it would not stop there. The existence of magic would be revealed to all! I cannot tell you of the darkness that would bring. There are things in this world that by all means should be forgotten and left buried. The secret world of magic must be left just that: a secret if the world as you know and love it should endure."  
  
The both were silent for a time. Sakura was shocked. She had no idea the magnitude of their task. Eriol now stood with his back to Sakura again his hand on the mantel. He questioned his choice in telling Sakura these things. He thought it would help, not hinder but now he was unsure. Sakura stood from her seat and went to him. She stood before him and took his hand. They looked upon each other. "Eriol," she said in a supple tone. "You said it yourself. None of us are alone. None of us need to be, you least of all. You lead us. Without you, we wouldn't have any direction. You're the strongest and the wisest and are always in control."  
  
Eriol let out a deep sigh and turned to the window and the dying light of the rainy dismal day. "Oh, Sakura." He said looked back at her beautiful face. "If only that were true. You see, I am afraid. For the first time in my life. For this fight that we wage is not about the cards as you may think, not about the Possessor of the Clow. But about revenge I fear. It was Salcon's way. And now that he has returned he wishes death on all who have wronged him in his view. I am afraid because for the first time in all my lifetimes." He paused and drew in a breath and slowly let it out with dismay. "I am not in control."  
  
Sakura felt tears come to her eyes. She squeezed Eriol's hand and then hugged him close. "You're not alone." Sakura sobbed into his collar. "It'll be okay. some day." Her voice became quiet and broken by tears. The sun broke through the clouds in the distance and they were bathed in the golden- orange light of the setting sun. With the sun's rays on them in each other's arms they felt warm and their troubles seemed more bearable now that they weren't alone. 


	9. Sakura Syoaran and Frigid Tidings

Sakura, Li and Frigid Tidings  
  
Amidst lingering cold and dark water in all directions, Sakura and Syaoran stood on the surface. The month of January had come to a close and the new month seemed just as dark and cold as the last with no sigh or sight of hope in the distance of the time to come. There was so much that was still unknown of the doings and intent of the Phantom, all that was to be done at the moment was to catch the cards though Eriol had said that it would not be their main focus.  
  
As Sakura stood she hoped that Syaoran's scroll that allowed them to walk on water would not run out. "It's not as strong now." Sakura said. She shivered and then looked at Syaoran. "I hope we're not out here for no reason." She looked east. "The sun hasn't even come up yet." Sakura gave an unhappy sigh and wrapped her arms about herself more tightly.  
  
Syaoran looked at her in her pink jacket and it somehow reminded him of when they were younger. Things were simpler then he though. He then looked to the water below him. "It's out here somewhere. Probably below us. When I sensed it, it came from out here in the middle of the lake."  
  
Sakura looked at Syaoran who was looking about them for signs of the card. She was only a few paces away but it felt to her like a great deal more distance. She thought about that morning; she awoke to a rather surprising thing: Syaoran was outside her window tapping on it. Though before she awoke as she dreamt she could tell he was there. That he had been there for quite a while watching her maybe. He woke her and told her of the card he felt and they left together without even waking Kero.  
  
Since then Sakura had been thinking about a couple of things: the flower- band he had given her, and his relationship with Kako. Both of which were contrary to one another. Both of which confused Sakura. Though it was obvious which one she liked better. "Syaoran ." She said and he turned to her from examining the water.  
  
"What is it? Did you find something?" Syaoran said as he walked with a light step over to her.  
  
"No. But I was wondering about something." She said.  
  
"What?" Syaoran said as he looked down at her.  
  
Sakura opened her mouth to speak but she stopped her self from asking the questions on her mind, afraid to ask or afraid of the answers. She wanted to ask him about Kako. But she didn't. Instead she hugged herself tightly as it seemed to be getting colder. She looked away from Syaoran with a feeling of guilt for leading him onto a question and then not asking.  
  
He looked at her in wonder. He could tell that something was wrong but he couldn't guess what. Though he himself felt down that morning and for the last while he had. He had noted that Sakura had been spending a lot of time with Eriol since he arrived. Syaoran trusted him a little bit more than he did when he first saw him again but he wondered why Sakura spent so much time with him. He had hardly seen her since Eriol arrived. Maybe, he thought, his relationship with Sakura had somehow changed since then.  
  
Sakura after a while of standing and idly looking about decided to try and make conversation. "Which card would hide in a cold lake anyway? It can't be very comfortable in the freezing cold." Sakura stopped short and turned to Syaoran.  
  
"The Freeze Card!" They both said in unison. Syaoran then looked concerned and a little scared. "We should get off the water." He said calmly. There was a soft squeaky crackling sound and the two looked below their feet. All the water below them and in all directions was completely solid. Syaoran's eyes grew wide and he grabbed Sakura's sleeve. "NOW! right now!" He began to run for the shore with Sakura running behind him still in his grasp but Sakura was a slower runner than he was and he pulled her too far forward and she fell to the ice.  
  
Syaoran heard the thud and tried to stop but as he turned he slipped and fell on his hip and slid away from Sakura several yards. "Damn it!" he muttered as he attempted to stand. He slipped again and fell to the ice. He peered down through the thick layer and saw the blurry form of a gigantic fish moving under him. It seemed to take a few seconds to fully pass him it was so large, seemingly larger than before in the ice-rink. "Syaoran?" He heard Sakura say in an injured voice.  
  
Syaoran felt a surge of dread move over him. "I'm coming!" He yelled as he skidded to his feet. He looked forth and saw Sakura kneeling on the ice. He ran to her and as he reached her he went to his knees and slid the last few feet to her. He took her shoulders in his hands and looked at her as if searching for where her hurt came from, but he found nothing. Sakura didn't seem hurt anymore; she had laid her hands on Syaoran's chest and was smiling at him. For that moment he felt something in himself which he had thought with the coming of Eriol had been locked away. He had felt not as he did times before. Times like those from wens the scar on his wrist had come. Now he knew that despite all the others, Sakura still needed him.  
  
And Sakura looking at Syaoran felt something as well. She had thought that he was drifting away. Away from her and towards others. But he was with her now and close. With her and no one else. They looked at one another for a time. But suddenly their peace was crushed the deafening sound of jagged ice pillars shooting up from the surface near them. "We have to get to the shore!" Sakura yelled as Syaoran helped her to her feet. But before they could run ridges of ice sprang up around them, not nearly as high as the curved pillars but just as jagged and sharp. The two didn't dare to try and jump them for it would be a horrible death indeed.  
  
They were encircled in ice and there were several more rings beyond the one they were in. Sakura stood clutching her star-key in one hand and Syaoran's arm in the other. "We can't jump over with the Jump card, we'd just come down on more spikes!" She said frantically.  
  
Syaoran summoned his sword and took a swing at the ice ridges which were about five feet high. It chipped off some ice but did little damage. It had become suddenly quiet. Many curved pillars loomed over them but Syaoran could still see a small amount of sky. He turned to Sakura. "Fly out!"  
  
"No!" Sakura burst out. "I'm not going to leave you!"  
  
"What other option do we have? I don't think any of the cards we have right now will help both of us. At least you can get out safely Syaoran argued.  
  
"I can't! What about you?" Sakura said.  
  
"Just go! Don't worry about me. If all else fails I all ways have my fire scrolls." Syaoran said but it didn't convince Sakura.  
  
"But what else do you have?" Sakura would have said something more but Syaoran stabbed his sword into the ice and stormed over to her. He took her key from around her neck and put it in her hand.  
  
"Go now! Don't worry." He paused and went back to his sword pulled it from the ice. "I have a plan. Just get yourself to the shore."  
  
Sakura stood for a moment and looked at her feet. She had her doubts but trusted Syaoran's strength. She stepped close to him looked up at his face; red from the cold. "Okay." she said quietly. "I'll be waiting for you on the shore." Syaoran smiled a little in relief but was surprised when Sakura grabbed him by the lapels of his dark coat and pulled his face down to her and kissed him. She then quickly turned away and Summoned her staff then released the Fly card and lightly left the ground as the wings on her back slowly flapped.  
  
Syaoran watched as she disappeared behind the spire-like ice above and he then touched his lips, a look of shock and surprise still on his face. He shook his head and regained his focus though part of his mind would be dwelling on this for some time. He gripped his sword in both his hands and mumbled under his breath: "Now to figure out what my plan is."  
  
Sakura flew about not wanting to go to the shore as she felt she wouldn't be much help there. Then something occurred to her: Syaoran might not be able to seal the card. He could fight it yes and perhaps once long ago he might have been able to seal one but now they were Phantom Cards, and more that that they might still be Sakura Cards even though some had gone to Syaoran. This worried her and so she circled the pillars and ridge circles surrounding Syaoran trying to think of something she could do to help him.  
  
Syaoran, in the circle of ice that may as well have been a tomb took inventory of his battlements. "My scrolls: Fire, Wind and Lightning. And my cards: Wood, Storm and Power. Not much to work with." he said to himself. Syaoran thought to himself about tactics but then noticed the significant lull in the attacks. He began getting a rather ominous feeling. Suddenly there was a slight vibration. It began getting stronger as if something very large was moving through the water towards him. It took him a moment but he established which direction it was coming from. He gripped his sword with both hands and stood in a defensive position in the direction of the tremor.  
  
He felt it getting closer and gaining speed. The lake he was on was large enough to accommodate it. Syaoran felt as if it was gearing up for a final strike and he got a sick feeling in his stomach. He felt like for the first time he was unprepared and helpless; he couldn't fight or run. He was scared.  
  
But he still stood low and ready. Suddenly he felt something slip from a pocket in his long coat. It flew before him as if on the wind: the Wood card. A second later the Freeze leapt from the cold surface of the ice with great speed. It was several hundred feet away but it flew through the air leaving in its wake a long arch of solid ice that rose into the sky hundreds of feet. It had reached the aperture of its arch and was now falling toward Syaoran with its shards of ice sharp and long and thick falling with it. Without thinking Syaoran plunged his sword into the card before him the released the Wood.  
  
It rose up with speed faster than the giant fish was falling with many tendrils of root. It also spread itself across the ground forming a base for itself to either side of Syaoran smashing the pillars and ridges in its path. Before the Freeze could reach the ground the Wood wrapped itself around it and attempted to stop its decent. It slowed Freeze but the fish was so large that the Wood had trouble completely stopping it. Syaoran crossed his arms over his face as the ice shards came down around him stabbing into the ice but thankfully none hit him. The fish moved slowly toward Syaoran and stopped only feet in front of him at eye level.  
  
The wood had stopped it. All was still and silent as Syaoran opened one eye and looked through his arms at the creature of ice before him its snout shining a deep blue in the morning light. Syaoran sighed with relief and heard a call from above. It was Sakura. "You did it!" She called from the sky as she flew towards Syaoran. She landed lightly before him and ran with the momentum of her flight into his arms.  
  
But their happy moment ended before it began as the Fish started to whip about above them trying to free itself from the roots about it. Syaoran quickly drew a card from his pocket and stabbed it with his sword. "Power!" He yelled as he jumped toward the card. He reared an arm back and then with the immense strength of the card he punched the Freeze's snout and with a defining crash the great fish flew back shattering the ice it had left in its wake. It landed hard on its back far from Sakura and Syaoran and as the ice rained down on it. The ice below it shattered with the force of its fall in to many capsizing slabs.  
  
The ice beneath Sakura and Syaoran's feet cracked and began to crumble in to the water. The wide slab of ice they were on shifted and tipped and they dropped to its surface to keep from falling into the deadly cold water or the sharp edge of another slab. Syaoran put a hand on Sakura's back to keep her from sliding. "You have to fly to it and seal it! NOW!" he yelled over the roar of shifting and breaking ice. She knew he was right and her wings appeared with a pip of her staff on Fly. She sailed into the air and called down to him. "I'll come back for you!" She then flew off to the giant fish floating on its back still wiping around to be free of the roots all the while churning up the waters and breaking apart more ice. The circle of her star appeared below her in the sky shining a bright gold. "Return to your true form, Phantom card!" She yelled. The Freeze broke apart into dark blue crystal shapes and flowed into the new card at the end of Sakura's star- wand high above her. The card flouted to her hand and the churning ice below began to settle.  
  
She then flew back to the ice slab where she had left Syaoran. But something scared her when she arrived: Syaoran wasn't on the slab. She looked around frantically fearing that he had been thrown into the freezing waters somewhere. "SYAORAN!" She shouted having no sight of him thus far. She then heard a call from afar and looked toward it. Syaoran, several hundred feet away was standing waving to her on the bank. Sakura sighed with relief and flew over to him.  
  
Sakura held the card up. "We did it!" She said ecstatically as she smiled at Syaoran. He started to smile back at her but his expression changed as he looked at the card. Sakura's giddiness ceased and she looked at Syaoran with question. "What is it?" She said.  
  
"Why did the card go to you. I was the one that." He asked but not accusingly, more as though he were trying to figure through a riddle.  
  
"What?" Sakura said confused.  
  
Syaoran starred at the card for another few seconds and then looked back at Sakura's face. "Never mind." he said sounding unsure.  
  
There was the sound of a motorcycle and a long 'Liiiiiiii!'. Touya rode up to the two and their new card with Meling sitting behind him. As Touya stopped and put the kickstand down Meling jumped off the bike and ran toward Syaoran. "Where have you been! I woke up and you weren't there!" Meling yelled as she squeezed Syaoran.  
  
Sakura Walked over to her brother for the first time not concealing her wand or a card. He starred at her still sitting on his bike. Sakura gripped her staff preparing for an ass-chewing. But Touya simply starred at her but not with irritation or worry but with pride. He plopped a hand on her head and looked into her eyes. "You okay, monster?" He said but his tone was soft and caring and Sakura felt that her brother really loved her and only wished to protect her.  
  
"Yah," She said. "I'm okay."  
  
"Get on, I'll take you home." Touya said.  
  
"What about Syaoran and Meling?" Sakura said looking over to the two with Syaoran attempting to pry Meling from his waist.  
  
"You two gonna be all right?" Touya called over to them.  
  
"We're fine." Syaoran said as he and Meling started walking off.  
  
The sounds of the motorcycle died away in the distance of the now quiet lake and a mist swept over the waters like a silk sheet. The air was still very cold with a sharpness to the view. In a wide patch of trees thick lining the lake and wrapping around it to it's northern side there stood a girl looking from the trees to the plane on the edge of the city where the two parties parted and were now in the distance. She leaned on a trunk with her arms crossing her chest, her hands grasping her shoulders. The light of the new day sparkled on her eyes as she solemnly and silently wept.  
  
She felt the land around her and took it into herself; it was empty and cold. She felt that it mirrored her own life. 'He leaves here with one who is so devoted to him and he parts ways but only for but a time with another. He has already so many that care for him and so many that he cares for, so what room in his heart is there for me?' The girl thought as she closed her eyes and her tears broke from her lashes and ran down her face with her loneliness and despair. Her thoughts then went to the ones she knew. 'and of them. who of them values me more than they would an old rag doll that is thrown away once it has served its purpose and is no longer of any amusement? Am I to them but a tool? But a human? But a girl?' Her legs weak with grief she fell to her knees. "I'm nothing."  
  
"That isn't true!" She heard a deep voice say. She looked up from the ground and away not far was a very tall man, his deep brown hair glinting in the white light of the morn. "Do not doubt yourself so for it pains me to see so beautiful a girl cry for such a hard reality." The man said compassionately as he strode over and knelt down before the girl. He took her hands in his own covering them from the cold. "You are much more than you know. And you yourself are worth even more so, Kako."  
  
She looked into his deep red-brown eyes and felt comforted by his words. Her breath shook as she drew it through her sobs and she leaned into the man's chest and enjoyed the feeling of his arms now around her, keeping her safe and warm. "Thank you, Roan. You have always been there when I needed you." Kako said softly as her tears came to their end.  
  
After a time he stood her up and draped his large brown coat about her thin shoulders. He sent her off and watched her go with a warmness in his heart. Though that warmth kindled by this kind and innocent girl soon turned cold as Roan perceived another. Eyes had been watching and he had felt it. Out before him stepped now a demon of red; Dorian.  
  
He paced in front of Roan the deep of his eyes boring ever deeper. Finally his pacing stopped and he looked away from Roan. "That was very touching, the way you pretend to care for the girl. It almost made me think that it was older times. Those were the days though weren't they?" Dorian said with a condescending snicker.  
  
"No, they were not the days, Dorian." Roan said in deep resentment. "And I don't pretend to care for Kako, I do care for her. Deeply. Since she was a child have the five of us cared for her and you have shown her nothing but hatred and violence. She cowers and flinches at the movement of your hand and you call it discipline. Well I call it defilement. It is something no person should have to endure."  
  
"Person!?" Dorian's voice became shrill with disgust. "You say 'person'. I say dog! You treat her as an equal and expect respect from me?" He spat at Roan's feet. "Humans! We are better than they. We came before. It is us who should have dominion over this world not them!"  
  
"You respect no one least of all me. And you say 'humans' and 'we' yet you forget." Roan's voice became low and paused. "you forget, Traya and I unlike you were not born demons. Though we are now and always will be we were once people. Once human. But we sacrificed our humanity and freedom. And now as I look back though I bear no pride for the kind of man I was I regret my choice. But there is nothing to be done about it now."  
  
There was silence between the two souls for some time and Dorian looked at Roan with a snide stare. Then he finally spoke. "You are what you are. But you would not be if not for the true nature of your heart." To this Roan felt defeated and ashamed. The sun rose in the morning sky and the two left one another in anger and hatred as they had so many times but had it never come to blows.  
  
The day went by as many before it had with no other cards surfacing and no shifts in power that any of the group felt. Everyone had parted ways for the day and it seemed as though it would be a quiet night. Yukito and Tomoyo once again were spending the night at the Kinomoto residence, and Nakuru was with Eriol and Spinel in their home. The light of day was fading but Meling and Syaoran weren't at their apartment.  
  
In Eriol's mansion he sat in the den he had eaten lunch with Sakura in watching the sun go down in deep thought. But he was then interrupted by his butler who told him of visitors in the foyer. To his feet he went and then to his guests and somewhat to his surprise it was Syaoran and Meling. Nakuru was already there greeting them or rather asking them what they wanted.  
  
"Hello, friends." Eriol said as he approached. "And good evening." Syaoran looked at Eriol with a respectful but awkward. Eriol knew that there was something on his mind and he acted at once. "Nakuru," he turned to the girl. "Why don't you show Meling here to the dining room if she is hungry." He finished looking at Meling.  
  
She knew the two boys wanted to talk alone. "Yah, I think I could eat." She then went with Nakuru and the boys went back to the table by the corner windows.  
  
The wind rustled in the trees outside and some time passed before anything was said. Syaoran faced Eriol still with a troublesome and dark look. But he saw that Eriol wore a similar expression. Finally the silence was broken. "I gather by your manner you have something to ask. Perhaps about this morning?" Eriol said.  
  
"Yes." Syaoran said thoughtfully. "and no. Not just about this morning's capture but the others too. You said that things would be different this time around and it's obvious that you're right but I would think some things would stay the same."  
  
"To what do you refer?" Said Eriol.  
  
"The first time when a card was sealed it went to the person who defeated it, but this time that isn't happening. Not only that but when I defeated Freeze, I didn't choose the card I did it with. It came to me from my pocket. I've never seen that happen before."  
  
There was a pause for a moment before Eriol's response. "As you know, Clow was a fortune teller. He may have foreseen these events long ago. It is possible that he has instructed the cards in their actions; who to go to and what to do once they are free from the Phantom's evil."  
  
Syaoran thought to himself for a moment as if in wonder. "Wait" He said. "if that's true then why don't you remember?"  
  
"Why do I not remember. That is because, descendant, that though I am Clow I also am not. Just at Sakura's father is but isn't. Clow's spirit lives on in both of us but we are also our own people. New to this world, not whole reincarnations. That is why I do not possess all the knowledge that Clow did. I have some of the same wonders as you. But if he did give the cards instructions then we have an ally we did not know about and the future looks that much brighter. But I fear it is not enough. Even if we all fight together we may still lose."  
  
"What do you mean by fight? Fight who?" Asked Syaoran.  
  
"As I said before, he may have protection whether it be some of his creature army, demons under his control or however unlikely: a descendant. I fear that if these foes come again we may have no chance. Though I put much trust into the Guardians, Yue, Ruby, Kerobaros, and Spinel, their power pails in comparison to Salcon's demons. It was only with the help of Clow's dear friend Eutealemaegn that they were able to defeat the demons and kill all but five."  
  
"Doesn't this Eutealemaegn have a descendant?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"I don't know for Clow "died" as it were, before Eutealemaegn. He may but I doubt it. The blood of the Pealu'rogh is spent, their race extinct. There may be someone by a lower birth but I do not think they will come to our aid. Eutealemaegn was a sorcerer of the West and he traveled far to help Clow, however if there is someone I don't think they will do the same. Though even a descendant of lower birth would be awesomely powerful. Perhaps strong enough even to face a demon alone. But it is frivolous to speculate about such things." Eriol said as he looked to the sinking sun.  
  
To Syaoran for a moment Eriol seemed without hope and it struck him that if even Eriol was doubtful of victory than what hope did they truly have? Things hadn't seemed this grim for a long while and even with the newly realized help of the cards how could they win if it all came and there was to be combat of demons and magicians. 


	10. Sakura and the Falling Darkness

Sakura and the Falling Darkness  
  
Sakura blinked and opened her eyes but the world around her seemed hazy and dull. She tried to speak but could not. She tried to move but it was as if she had no body; just eyes. The haze was shades of gray being lighter here and darker there as if shallower and deeper like points of a foggy landscape of sheer rock. It seemed to her that she was peering down into the deep of the gray and far beneath a dull light began to glow. It seemed to be rising toward her and it began to take form. She could see after a while not one dull glow but three individual glows, their light blurring together. As it came nearer Sakura began to feel an apprehension or fear of these rising lights. They suddenly seemed menacing if not terrifying to her mind. They began to rise faster and their forms became more defined and numerous as there seemed to now be five glowing shapes ascending toward Sakura all in a line. Their light was of different colors now Sakura could see: the one in the center was a blinding white, to it's right was a form of fiery red, to the left was a form of dark turbulent blue, and to the ends were forms of no discernable color though no less daunting.  
  
They rose and rose and became more and more clear until Sakura could make out each form. They were humanlike in appearance though only blazing silhouettes. But unlike humans the first three bore on their backs great wings who's span was vast. They're forms were like flame burning hotter that the sun flying to Sakura. No distance could she measure but she knew they were almost upon her. The one of white was closest with the others branching back. It's eyes unlike it's blinding body and wings like white flame were dark and deep, only black slits in its burning form. Though dark Sakura felt their gaze burning into her very soul. If possible fear and panic took Sakura and she felt alone and unprotected.  
  
She wished for someone to come an rescue her from this new evil. Someone strong and trusting. Someone for whom she felt safe from all things around. He would come his sword shining with the power of the Sun and the Moon. With it he would smite this new evil down and deliver Sakura from them and they would leave this dreary place and return home. Though the form of such a warrior appeared before her, but a moment later it was gone and be it real or just imagined by Sakura's turbulent mind the white form with wings of white flame seemed upon her it's arm outstretched toward her and its light was now more intense than anything she had ever known. The light's luminosity grew and grew until right as the hand would take her in its hateful grasp and screams seemed to pierce the dead of this gray night the light swept over all.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhg!" Sakura screamed as she awoke still ridden by the terror of the dream. She then felt the grasp of two small hands on her shoulders and as she focused her wide eyes they fell on a very fair girl in white and in the air with a concerned look floated Kero.  
  
"Kid?! Kid!" Kero pleaded as Sakura held her face in her hands.  
  
"Sakura what's wrong?!" Tomoyo exclaimed as she grasped Sakura's shoulder as she panted short of breath from the dream of horror. There were tears in Sakura's eyes and she seemed ready to cry with the sorrow and weight of the world. She sobbingly embraced her friend finally finding some little comfort and peace.  
  
"What's wrong?! What going on? Is Sakura okay?!" Touya exclaimed as he busted into the room followed by his father. Kero quickly hid himself from the father under the covers though he stayed near to Sakura listening intently.  
  
No words could they get out of Sakura and Fujitaka joined Tomoyo on the bed in their attempt to comfort the troubled girl.  
  
With his arms crossed, Touya leaned by the door looking at his sister with an uncharacteristic look of sadness on his face. He suddenly saw a small orange object whiz past him and out into the hall. He then saw Kero's head pop out from behind the doorframe. He signaled Touya to follow him and he walked out of the room quietly into the hallway. He shut Sakura's door softly and turned to Kero. "This is getting out of control!" He said angered but kept his voice down all the same.  
  
"I'd think you would realize that control is the one thing that we don't have." Kero responded.  
  
"I mean it's dangerous! Every other night for the last two weeks! She can't handle it! It's too much of a strain on her! How do we make it stop!"  
  
"That's not the easiest question to answer and you won't like any of them." Kero said as he hovered in the air with his arms crossed. "Like Clow, Sakura has precognitive capabilities. -That means she can see the future in her dreams."  
  
"I know that!" Touya sneered. "Get to the point."  
  
"My point is: If this is a precognition then the dreams won't stop until what the dream is alluding to happens. Either that or." Kero said and trailed off seemingly unwilling to utter the words he would say.  
  
"Or what!?" Touya snapped.  
  
"Or this isn't a dream of the future. It may be some form of sorcery or curse that we might not be able to counter." Kero said grimly.  
  
"And what if." Touya said in almost a whisper. "What if we can't counter it?"  
  
"Then it won't stop. And every night Sakura will suffer thorough it until it becomes too much. And then." Kero said but didn't finish.  
  
There was a long pause in the dark of the hallway. Touya was starting to feel overcome. He fought back tears with the anger boiling his blood. His chest felt tight and his fist clenched and there was a loud sound and with it his voice. "NO!" Everyone's heart in the house stopped for a split second and they looked up and toward the hall. And then with even more despair they turned back their attention to Sakura.  
  
No longer holding back the tears, Touya unclenched his fist and pulled it bleeding from the wall. He leaned into the wall choking back his tears. Suddenly he felt a small hand on his brow. "Hey, take it easy kid." Kero said in as much of an upbeat tone as he could. "We'll do all we can to protect her. I know you will. I know you would do a lot for her. Sakura looks to you probably more than anyone for strength and guidance. And that's why you've got to be strong for her. She needs all of us now more than ever. We all do. We're all in it together."  
  
Touya looked at Kero for once not with annoyance but with gratitude. He then grabbed Kero by the waist and walked back into the room pretending Kero was what he had pretended to be for so long.  
  
As she had every morning, Sakura managed to shake off the feeling of dread and doom from the dream and was getting ready to go off to school with Tomoyo. Her brother and father were in the kitchen cleaning up from breakfast. Touya watched his sister in the living room putting things in her bag, which today included a small orange irritating stuffed animal. Then he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye out the window and he looked. It had a strange feeling with it. He didn't know what it was or even if it was anything but Kero had told him that he felt the same thing or something similar and was going to school with Sakura just in case.  
  
He gazed out the window absently in thought and then put his bandaged hand to his temple as if the sun hurt his eyes. A slight headache had been nagging him now and then for the past few days. He suddenly felt a hand on his and looked from the window at his father coming out of his daze. "Are you feeling alright?" Fujitaka said to his son. He had bandaged his son's hand that morning but was now more concerned with his son's odd behavior.  
  
"Fine. fine." Touya said as is speaking through spikes of pain. He then heard his sister's call.  
  
"Bye, Sakura! Have a wonderful day!" Fujitaka called toward the door.  
  
"Bye, daddy!" Touya heard his sister say as the door shut and the two men were left alone.  
  
"No matter what is going on she always manages to smile and be her usual cherry self." Touya said quietly almost to himself.  
  
"It's how she is. She's a naturally happy girl, just like her mother." Fujitaka said but was still a bit concerned. He looked at his son with a lighthearted smile but after a moment it faded. "Is there something I should know about?" He said.  
  
Touya stopped in his tracks for a second. "N- no. Why?"  
  
"It seems like something more is wrong then simple bad dreams." Fujitaka said.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Touya said resuming drying a dish his father had washed staying as calm and apathetic to the conversation as possible.  
  
Fujitaka put a hand on his son's shoulder and looked at him. "I'm you father. I can tell."  
  
Touya felt exposed. He knew he couldn't hide any of his feelings from this man but he could keep the truth from him even though he would see through any lie. "Sakura's just a little stressed right now, that's all. I wouldn't worry." He said breaking eye contact.  
  
"Oh, okay," Fujitaka said but wasn't convinced in any way. "But, what about yourself?"  
  
Touya stopped and looked at his hands. "What?" He said looking up.  
  
"What about you? I know you're twenty-two now but you're my son and I still worry about you. And I can tell that it's not just Sakura who is having trouble." Fujitaka said.  
  
'What about me?' Touya thought. 'I've been so caught up with protecting Sakura that I've not really thought about it' Touya looked out the window again and the light of the morning assaulted his eyes again. Then he looked back to his father. "I'm doen' alright, considering." He said.  
  
"Considering what?" His father asked.  
  
"What? Ah, nothing, just everything." Touya said putting the last dish away.  
  
Fujitaka smiled as he gazed at his son. "Just remember." He said. Touya looked at his father in wonder for a moment as his words seemed to echo in his mind. "That if whenever you and your sister need me I'll be there for you. Whatever the reason."  
  
Touya starred at his father for a moment and wondered if he already knew but how could he, he thought. The doorbell then rang and Touya grabbed his backpack. "That's Yuki and Nakuru. I've gotta go now. Bye dad." He said as he ran for the door.  
  
With the door shut behind him he started walking with his two companions to class. "Something wrong?" Yukito said as he munched on a rice ball.  
  
"Yah, you seemed in a bit of a rush. What's up?" Nakuru said.  
  
"Nothing. It's just my dad." Touya said.  
  
"Mr. Kinomoto? Is something wrong?" Yukito asked with concern.  
  
"Nothing's wrong with him, but he's starting to become suspicious. He knows something is going on." Touya said as he strode to the head of the group.  
  
Nakuru looked at him and he seemed taller today but not any more in control than usual. He seemed distressed to Nakuru as if he was questioning himself. She skipped up to his side and looked up at him. "Are you sure that it would be such a bad thing?" She said and he looked down at her. "If he knew?"  
  
"I think it would be better if he didn't. It's less for him to worry about." Touya said.  
  
"Are you sure?" Yukito said as he walked on the other side of Touya. "I'm no expert at families but don't you think that maybe he has the right to know what it is he's worried about?"  
  
"Let's just drop it okay! Everything's fine the way it is." Touya stated. He looked straight ahead ignoring the two. They dropped it and the three walked on in silence.  
  
Nakuru noticed the bandage. "What happened to your hand?" She asked.  
  
Meanwhile Sakura and the others stepped into the halls of their high school to find the walls adorn with pink and red streamers with pictures of hearts and cupids. Sakura felt instantly better and excited. With the group was Takashi and Chiharu holding hands as always. "Are you guys going to the dance tonight?" Chiharu asked the group as they waited for the first bell.  
  
"Oh course WE are!" Meling announced loudly as she linked arms with Syaoran. The others started to converse about the night but Syaoran felt someone brush past his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder while attempting to escape Meling's Kung Fu-grip and he saw Kako walk by looking at him with a small smile. He knew that she was trying to get his attention as she had a subtle way toward him. He managed to ditch Meling and made his way through the crowded hall to find Kako.  
  
Chiharu was particularly excited about the dance. "It's going to be really great! The auditorium has a ton of decorations and there's gonna a DJ and food and everything! And it's formal so I get to wear my best dress!"  
  
At hearing this Tomoyo put an arm around Sakura. "Sakura's going to look wonderful! I've been making her dress for weeks." Tomoyo said. Sakura had her hands together in front of her and her face was red from embarrassment. Tomoyo clasped her hands up by her head and had stars in her eyes. "She going to look so beautiful! I'm going to record every second of it!" Tomoyo rambled on as Sakura became more and more embarrassed.  
  
"So then, Sakura," Chiharu said. "Who is it then?"  
  
Sakura looked confused for a moment. "What? who is what?"  
  
"Who is taking you!?" Chiharu exclaimed getting the attention of almost everyone. Sakura swallowed a lump in her throat and turned a new shade of red never before seen by man. Eriol, who was standing tall next to her gazed down at her and chuckled.  
  
"W-well, Yukito and my brother are chaperoning so I thought.or maybe I could ask." Sakura stammered. She then looked around as if to find someone but she then hung her head in defeat feeling as if everyone in the hallway were laughing at her. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Eriol to find his caring eyes on her.  
  
"Don't worry, Sakura. I'm sure someone will ask you. Beauty such as yours cannot go unnoticed." He said.  
  
Down the hall Kako was leaning on the wall with her hands behind her back. Syaoran came up to her through the crowd and leaned on the wall next to her. "Hi, Kako." he said softly.  
  
She leaned her shoulder against his arm and rested her head on his shoulder looking up at him. "Hi, Syaoran." She said. They stood there for a while and her arm somehow found it's way around his waist. He looked at her in question and she just giggled. Kako's sweet smile allowed Syaoran to forget his troubles for a time and her soft blue eyes like the calm waters of a crystal sea danced in his eyes. She then seemed not as happy as she looked into his deep brown eyes. "So, are you going to the dance tonight with that girl, Meling?"  
  
Syaoran looked down the hall but it was so crowded he could see no sign of the group. He then looked back at Kako. "I guess I don't have to." He said in a deep voice bordering between disappointment and the feeling of levity he had when with Kako. She giggled with happiness and rolled from his side to his chest. Syaoran felt a sudden warmness as her lips came onto his and without thought his arms went about her waist and he thought about none other.  
  
Their moment was paused for a moment as the bell rang and they broke from each other and walked into the classroom and sat down on a table in the back near the window to talk.  
  
Once again sitting in their seats with their teacher letting the room run amuck, Meling was in a funk and Sakura couldn't help glancing at Syaoran every once in a while though he never noticed. She then noticed that Eriol wasn't in his seat. She then spotted him at the other end of the long window, which ran the length of the room opposite Li and Kako. Sakura wasn't sure but she thought he seemed to be looking at something. They were on the second floor so it could have been a number of things she thought.  
  
Finally she decided to leave Tomoyo and Meling and go over to Eriol. "Is something wrong?" She asked as she walked up to him. Seeming to be woken out of a trance he looked at the emerald-eyed girl.  
  
"No, my dear. I just thought I saw something. There is an ominous feel to today. It doesn't feel like a card. I would not rule it out but it may be something else. I do not know what though." Eriol said. Sakura stood in front of him and leaned slightly on his arm, which was resting on the windowsill.  
  
"What do you think it is?" Sakura said dumbly as she looked around out of the window. Eriol knew of Sakura's troubled nights from both her and her brother and was also concerned. Though he shared Touya's opinion that it may be too much for her, he also agreed with her Guardian; that they all needed to be strong to pull through.  
  
"Never you mind, Sakura." He said and she turned around to face him. "To the matter of tonight. You are without an escort to the gathering tonight, am I correct?"  
  
"Well, yah." Sakura said.  
  
"Would you like me to be your escort?" He said with a smile.  
  
"You're asking me to the dance?!" Sakura said surprised despite Eriol's allusion.  
  
Sakura's face lit up with glee. "I'd love to!"  
  
Later in the day, Touya, Yukito and Nakuru had finished their classes for the day. The sun was shining dimly down from atop the sky; it was about noon and the three companions were about to have lunch. They were in the courtyard of their university and Yukito had packed everyone a lunch. They sat at a table with an umbrella shaded by a large tree with a large trunk, though the sun was not at all hot. Yukito and Nakuru sat and ate but Touya stood away by the tree staring into the crowd of people occupying the courtyard.  
  
Nakuru looked at him suspiciously with half a mind to bound up to him and jump on his back. A sly smile came over her red lips as the desire of irritating him grew stronger. With barely another thought she jumped up and with only a few light strides toward Touya, jumped onto him nearly knocking him down. After Touya regained his balance he paid the girl no mind and just sighed with a shrug of his shoulders despite Nakuru's arms still clinging to him.  
  
She was disappointed in not getting the reaction she wanted. She rested her head on her arm and whispered into his ear. "Whatcha' doen'?"  
  
He turned his head and looked into her eyes finally with an irritated look. "I thought I sensed something." he said. He reached to his chest and pried her arms from about his neck and she hopped to the ground. He leaned on the tree and tried to ignore Nakuru. She wasn't finished having fun however. She grabbed his sweater and leaned in on his chest. But all of a sudden there came a hand strike on her rear and her eyes shot open. "HEY!" She shouted at Touya with balled up fists. Touya didn't say anything but pointed to Nakuru's rear. She turned around after eyeing Touya for a moment and realizing that it wasn't something he would do. Not too much to her surprise she found behind her Dorian with a wide smile across his sinister face.  
  
Nakuru was slightly offended. "You sonofabitch!" She shouted raising a fist into the air. Touya thought about letting Nakuru hit Dorian for a moment just for fun but he didn't want a fight so he grabbed Nakuru by the shoulders and pulled her into his chest putting an arm across her just to make sure she didn't break free and then break Dorian's face. She actually looked a little stronger than Dorian to Touya but it could have been because he knew what she was. "That's enough." Touya said passively but also commandingly.  
  
For someone who enjoyed provoking so much Nakuru sure didn't take it very well Touya noted. "What do ya want, Dorian?" Touya said trying not to sound too inconvenienced.  
  
Dorian pointed with his thumb at the table. "I brought some friends." He said. Touya glanced at the table and saw another guy, very tall, even taller than himself and two other girls one of which he had met before. Yukito seemed to have introduced himself already and was chatting with the girl with green hair happily while sharing Touya's food with her.  
  
The three walked back to the table and Dorian introduced his group. "You already know Traya," She stood looked up from Yukito and greeted them with a smile blowing a kiss to Touya. For a split second Nakuru's brow wrinkled defensively. "And this beauty of the night is Dieae," Dorian paused for a moment. "And that's Roan." He said flatly.  
  
Roan stood up from his seat next to Traya and held out a hand to Touya. Touya hesitated for a moment. Roan unlike Dorian didn't look at all Japanese. Now that he looked, Traya didn't either. Touya guessed by his height and both their facial features that they were of European decent. He blinked and then took Roan's hand. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." Roan said back deeply. He glanced at Nakuru standing beside Touya. He gripped Touya's hand tightly. Touya looked at him curiously. His teeth had become clenched and he seemed tense as he gazed at Nakuru. She looked confused at him for a moment and then looked at Touya with a 'get a load of this guy' look. Touya, still in Roan's formidable grasp cleared his throat. Roan's eyes jumped back to his victim and he let go slightly apologetically. He then looked at his wrist watch.  
  
"We have to go. Sorry." He said as he gave Nakuru a last glance and then turned and started walking away. Traya got up. "Bye, guys!" She slapped Dorian in the back of the head. "C'mon." Dorian put a hand on the back of his head. "Ow." He muttered. He then looked at Touya with a crocked smile. "Well, see ya later tonight." The other girl, Dieae had stood and was now collecting Dorian and dragging him away seeming a bit angry.  
  
Touya watched as the four disappeared into the crowd and let out a long sigh as if he had been holding his breath. He shook his hand and looked at it. Roan hadn't noticed the bandages and his hand was bleeding again. Nakuru looked at his hand and was slightly impressed with his strength in not crying out in pain. "What was that about?" She said. "That girl, Dieae? She seemed piiiiiiissed."  
  
"Maybe she felt left out? She didn't talk to anyone." Yukito said while bagging up the remainder of the lunches. "Touya, what do you think?"  
  
"What did he mean?" Touya seemed to say to himself as he went back to the tree. Nakuru looked at Yukito summoning him and he got up and they walked over to him. Nakuru could see the feeling of distress in Touya again. He seemed to her stressed or afflicted. Yukito noticed the same thing by now. He looked at Touya with concern. "Maybe.maybe you should have eaten something." He said not as upbeat as normal.  
  
Touya turned to his companions. "When he said. never mind." Touya put a hand to his brow again and shut his eyes feeling somewhat weak as if some weight were on him. Yukito was becoming concerned. "Touay are you feeling alright?" Yukito said in a low voice.  
  
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Touya said in a shaky voice. The world seemed hazy and far to him and his companion seemed like distant shdows their voices only echos. "what's happening." Touya whispered weakly as he fell into darkness.  
  
To Be Continued. 


	11. Sakura The Calm Before the Storm

Sakura and the Calm Before the Storm  
  
The sun moved just westward of noon in the dim sky and four souls walk without speech. Out of the school where they were and down the road and around the bends and to the trees they had gone with the sounds of silent day seeming as a calm before the storm. Through the trees they came to a wide entrance; a hole through a thick hedge on either side of which was a stele rising up into the bending tree branches connected to one another by another two steles forming a portal. On the portal at it's middle was a sign that read 'Tsukimine'. Two of the group stopped at this entryway and the two others turned and looked at them. "Aren't you coming?" Dorian said accusingly.  
  
"You know we never step foot in this shrine." Roan said. "and you know why."  
  
"They may do as they please. He, and Rashein are waiting for us." Dieae said and then turned and walked away from the group. Dorian looked at the girl as she walked away for a moment but then looked back at Roan and Traya.  
  
"Now that the watch dog's gone, tell me, why is it that you won't enter this place?" Dorian said amused with himself.  
  
"We're not like you. And you know that." Traya said. "This used to be a place of peace where the souls of the departed could rest but no longer. He changed that."  
  
"He made us what we are as a reward but in the end it seems to rather be our damnation. We won't tread in places touched by him. Not any more. But we have no choice but to bend to his will." Roan said.  
  
"Hmph." Dorian sniffed in contempt. "You say in the end? The end is near but still far. His plans will be carried out by us all. You, me, and the girl. You know your part. Play it well and he may just give you what you long for. Though if it were my choice you and your bitch would already be dead."  
  
Anger swelled in Roan at Dorian's words of hate and malice. In his mind he fought himself, fought to hold back his desire for blood. His teeth bore and lips curled and Traya put herself before his impending wrath. "Roan no! It's what he wants. Don't give into him. Not now. Not when we're so close." Traya's voice came to Roan through his growls of breath; the anger brimming on his surface, but she was heard and her voice like the chiming of bells delivered him from his madness.  
  
"Once again saved by your woman. Pathetic." Dorian said as he turned from them into the shrine.  
  
Traya collapsed into Roan's arms with a heavy sigh of averting yet another near fatal argument between her dear brother and Dorian. "There will come the day when we are free." She said as she close to him with her arm around his waist led him away.  
  
There seemed a warm softness to the world though still dim to Touya. He though he could perceive a light but he was still in-between the worlds of sleep and wakefulness. He felt as he hadn't for some time with an absence of discomfort and a peace in his heart. Stress and pain seemed far and he felt for the first time in a long while relaxed. His eyelids twitched and he became more aware. He found that the warmness he though was just the conscious world returning to him was more tangible and was on his right side. What it was seemed to elude him as he was still half asleep. After a while of debating weather or not it was time to leave the serene place he was in he slowly opened his eyes to find blue sky before him.  
  
He could now think more clearly. He gathered that he was lying in the soft grass looking up at the blue sky. He thought about how long it had been since he had just lie in the grass watching the clouds go by. Then he moved his eyes from the sight to his side to find out what the warmness was coming from. To his surprise his eyes fell on a brown haired girl laying with him on the grass in the crick of his outstretched arm.  
  
"Nakuru?" Touya said groggily still focusing his eyes to make sure of his findings. Nakuru looked up at Touya and gave him a quick smile. Her face was red and she seemed fatigued. He sat up cupping her shoulders in his arm bringing her with him.  
  
"Feeling better?" She said in a low voice letting herself be supported by Touya's arm for a while and leaning her head on his chest below his chin.  
  
Touya felt confused for the moment not knowing why she was acting this way so he just left it alone. "What happened?" He asked.  
  
"What do you think happened?" Nakuru said but not harshly. "You just passed out a little."  
  
"A little? For how long? And how'd I get here?" Touya said as he looked around to find that the two were alone in a field in the park were the spring grass was already growing.  
  
"Only for about a half hour." She said as she picked up her head but still leaned on Touya. "Yukito and I brought you here. Don't worry, I don't think too many people saw."  
  
"Yuki! Where is he?" Touya exclaimed suddenly aware of his absence. He jumped to his feet letting Nakuru fall on her back. Touya looked back at Nakuru who was glaring at him. "Sorry."  
  
"I sent Yuki to get Eriol." Nakuru said as he helped her up.  
  
"Alone!? why? We're supposed to stay together at all times." Touya lamented.  
  
"Aren't you at all curious as to why you passed out? If you're not then I am." Nakuru said sounding concerned but Touya wasn't sure if it was for him or just in general.  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"After we put you down and Yukito left I sensed that your power was very low. Almost as if it had been drained. You could have died." Nakuru explained but it seemed to create more questions than it answered.  
  
"Hm." Touya said abruptly in thought. Just then the two heard a call of Touya's name in the distance. They looked up and saw Sakura bounding up with Yukito, Tomoyo and Eriol following behind at a slower pace. When Sakura was upon them she dove into Touya wrapping her arms around his waist.  
  
"Touya!" she cried. "Are you okay?" He put a hand on his sister's shoulder and the other on her head. "I'm fine, Sakura."  
  
"When Yuki told me you were sick I was really scared! I thought something bad had happened! What happened?" Sakura rambled frantically.  
  
Touya looked down at his sister and put a hand on her cheek. "Don't worry about it, okay, monster? You have enough on your mind."  
  
"Well." Sakura said feeling as though there was some thing to worry about.  
  
"Yes, Touya is right. You do have enough on your mind so go ahead and leave this matter to us, Sakura." Eriol said as he and the others walked up.  
  
"How ya feeling?" Yukito asked Touya offering him a leftover rice ball from lunch. Touya took it being a bit hungry.  
  
"Beddr." Touya said with his mouth full. His attention was then drawn toward a commotion in the direction of Sakura and Tomoyo.  
  
"Maybe you should let him out now." Tomoyo said to Sakura.  
  
"Oh my god! I forgot!" Sakura then took her backpack off and opened it and out flew Kero like a bat out of hell.  
  
"STOP DOEN' THAT!" Kero screamed at the top of his lungs. "I almost suffocated in there this time and there wasn't anything to eat!"  
  
There was laughter and a smile came to everyone's faces for once but Touya then caught a glance from Eriol. His expression was somewhat grave even though he was grinning. "We must speak." He said to Touya.  
  
It was then decided that they would all go to Eriol's house. Tomoyo drove them and soon they were all in the study with the high eastern-exposure windows and fireplace. As they went in Kero noticed Spinel sitting on a cushion reading the paper by himself on a couch. He flew up to him. "Awwwww, did somebody get left alone? Poor Sueppy." Kero teased and Spinel became annoyed.  
  
"Unlike you," He said in retort "I have the ability to defend myself if I'm without another. You on the other hand are just an orange loud mouth with wings until your mistress captures Firey."  
  
The rebuttal was quite effective. "Oh yah! Well you look like a goblin! and yur, yur ugly too! yah!" Kero said thinking he came out the better in wit.  
  
While Kero and Spinel argued and the girls and Yukito sat and talked and Eriol and Touya stood away from the others.  
  
Touya had been thinking about the last few weeks. There had been more cards and more captures. The Shot, Flower, Sleep and Dash cards surfaced. Syaoran, by himself faced Shot and defeated it by reflecting its beam back to it with his sword but he hadn't told anyone but Meling. The others only found out through her and it seemed that she had barely gotten it out of him. Sakura easily captured Flower this time simply gathering all the pedals with windy before it got out of hand. Also she captured Sleep by tricking it into putting a double of her to sleep that she made with Mirror and then she sealed it from behind. Syaoran captured Dash with wood trapping it without the fuss of a race to worry about. All along Touya had been watching and helping however he could but he found that there wasn't much for him to do but keep an eye on Yukito and Nakuru. But he had been troubled. Not only by his feelings of helplessness or worthlessness but also by the air in Tomeda.  
  
"You have no doubt felt it also?" Eriol said to Touya in a casual manner. Touya looked at Eriol and he seemed as controlled as ever with not the slightest hint of worry unlike himself. Touya no longer felt at ease as he did in the field with Nakuru.  
  
"I think I have." Touya said. "But I'm not sure what I feel. I'm not like you or the brat, Li. You can sense shifts in power. But I."  
  
"Your talents lie elsewhere?" Eriol said. "Well then what can you tell me of that?"  
  
"The spirits here..." Touya started in a low voice. "are in unrest. I've been feeling it since it all started. They're not just restless but also." Touya was delving deeply into himself and finding out as he spoke just how things were that he had not seen before.  
  
"They were also what?" Eriol said as though he already knew.  
  
"They're scared." Touya said coming to it in his thoughts like an epiphany. The look on his face was grave as he peered at Eriol. "But what would scare a spirit; someone who is already dead?"  
  
"They do not fear for themselves. The departed who have yet to let go of this life fear not for themselves but for those whom still live. They are our departed mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers and they love us still. That is why they fear. They fear for us." Eriol said.  
  
"But why? What do they fear? What do they know that we don't?" Touya asked.  
  
"The reason is unclear. It is true that the power in this region has been growing. It is caused by the presence of those with power such as a magician, sorcerer or the cards. But as of late the power has swelled not as it has in the precedence of any other event." Eriol said and paused looking now as grave as Touya. "Something is about to happen. Something perhaps not involving the capturing. The evidence is clear."  
  
"What evidence?" Touya asked.  
  
"You." Eriol said frankly. Touya gave him a perplexed look. "What happened to you today. You don't wish to speak about it?" Touya sensed that he had found another besides his father whom could see right through him. Touya gave a defeated look. "Very well." Eriol continued. "What happened to you today I have been fearing. You have been attacked. Someone is drawing on your power as Yukito did. But unlike Yukito whom you willingly supported, this is without your consent and is meant to cause harm. If it weren't for Nakuru we may have lost you."  
  
Touya was startled at his mention of the girl. "What?" He asked.  
  
Eriol smiled. "Oh, yes. If not for her you would be in much worse shape if in any shape at all. She stayed with you and channeled her power into you. That is why you lived. And she wouldn't admit it but it taxed her greatly too."  
  
"Why would she do that?" Touya said.  
  
"I would think that you know the answer to that better then I. Perhaps the same reason you allowed Yukito to draw on you?" Eriol said almost with a grin.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Touya said defensively. "Wait a minute. You said 'someone' is drawing on me?"  
  
"Yes. As I said, it is, as I have feared. There is not only the Phantom here. There must be someone autonomous with power lurking about. And it could very well be someone you know. They would have to be very close to you in order to cast a spell like this. Things are changing and it is time now for another council." Eriol's words were dark. "We are only missing two of our assembly. Contact them and bring them please."  
  
"Right." Touya said as he took out his cell phone to make the call.  
  
Syaoran and Meling were reached and were making their way to Eriol's mansion. For now there was recess and everyone could feel the weight of the coming meeting and it's significance.  
  
Sakura sat with Tomoyo, Yukito and her brother awaiting Syaoran and Meling and thought to herself: 'Everyone has been acting so weird. Even Eriol. Is there something they're not telling me? Touya would do that!' she then gave a mean look to her brother sitting next to her as she would when he called her 'monster'. "What?" He said looking down at her.  
  
"Ah." Sakura said feeling guilty and embarrassed "nothing. What were you and Eriol talking about? Are you okay still?"  
  
"For the last time I'm fine." Touya said reluctant to discuss it with anyone let alone Sakura.  
  
"Well then I'm glad your okay!" Sakura bubbled as she threw her arms around her brother again. "So what do you think Eriol wants to talk about?" Sakura asked and shivered as thoughts of her recent dreams came to her.  
  
"I'm not sure." Touya lied.  
  
Tomoyo then chimed in. "Maybe we should just wait and see, Sakura." Tomoyo then looked at Sakura oddly, she was looking at the necklace around her neck, it was the one her father had given her. Then a grave look came to her fair face and her hand went over her mouth. "O my gosh!" She said.  
  
"What?!" Sakura asked fearfully.  
  
"What about the Dance?" She said as she looked at a grandfather clock. "Its already 2:30! We have to get you into your dress soon unless." an even greater look of terror came to Tomoyo and Touya and Yukito couldn't help but hold their breath. "Unless Eriol doesn't want us to go!"  
  
Touya exhaled with an irritated puff at the girl's priorities while Yukito was genuinely concerned. "Don't worry, Tomoyo! I'm sure it won't come to that." He said as he held her hands.  
  
A moment later Sakura heard the doorbell and then into the room came Eriol with Syaoran and Meling. But Sakura was troubled by its manner; Meling was standing a distance from Syaoran with Eriol between them. She didn't look happy either but she didn't look angry which struck Sakura as odd. Instead she looked sad and she made no eye contact with Syaoran for the rest of the night and Sakura knew something was wrong.  
  
Eriol bayed everyone sit and the council began. "There are matters which need to be addressed." He said in opening. "Times are changing and we now have the proof we have lacked. For those of you who do not know, one member of our group has fallen victim to an attack but fortunately through the fast action of his companions he is no longer in any immediate danger. As I said before we are united in our cause and bound to protect each other. And I am happy to see that this is so." Eriol's voice wasn't as cheerful as the context of his words.  
  
"But" He continued more gravely "This is evidence that the Phantom, Salcon indeed has beings in his service. New or old we still do not know but we now know that there is someone or something out there that we must confront and defeat if we are not to be picked off one by one. For that was His way. He works from the shadows not in plain sight. You must question everything now and look twice because the danger is now more real than ever."  
  
Sakura sank back into the large couch she and the others were sitting on wishing not for the first time that none of this had ever happened. She leaned against her brother closing her eyes and with everyone around her she felt at least safe. Even Eriol's mansion seemed a protected place and for now she felt that no harm could come to her. But once again though carried on Eriol's soft and calming voice the words of the future frightened her and she wished it to all to fade away. As she opened her eyes again almost reluctantly for she knew she would only see a world that was perhaps in her hands she looked to her friends and none in the large room were merry.  
  
Her eyes found their way to Syaoran standing away from the circle of the couch and chairs in which all sat but him. He had a look of apathy on his face and his brown hair covered his eyes from Sakura's sight. She thought he looked as though he wished to be somewhere else and Sakura felt slightly abandoned by him. She felt that it was so recently that she felt that feeling of warm closeness with him that she adored but he now felt distant and cold. She then felt the weight of eyes on her and instinctively looked to Eriol who looked onto her with care. Sakura couldn't help but smile and felt her spirits rise just a little.  
  
"Now to current matters." Eriol said his face lousing the light that Sakura so cheerfully saw in it. His eyes became darker and Sakura felt them seeing into her as if there was nothing she could hide from him. "It has been sensed by me and I am sure others in our party the changes in the Power in this region. They have been fluctuating for some time dipping down when things seemed calm and spiking when for example a card would surface. But the changes felt in the past pale in comparison to the changes very recently. I fear very soon something significant will occur. And all we can do to prepare is wait and ever be on our guard if we are to find this agent of Salcon's will."  
  
With this he paused and everyone was silent. After a time in which all were pondering his words the silence Tomoyo broke in her soft voce: "Eriol?" She said and he looked to the fair girl. "Do you think that. that we shouldn't go to the dance? That it may be too dangerous?"  
  
"You are right my dear, it may be dangerous. If something were to happen there it would be disastrous. But there are none other than those in this room that could possibly avert such a happening. That is why we must go. If not to start this new chapter in our tale then to protect those who are not involved. It is not certain that something will happen but the preceding events are worrisome.  
  
'The attack as said but also Sakura's dreams." Eriol said. Sakura shuddered as the thoughts and feelings of her most recent dream resurfaced in her mind. "Such images as described to me are not encouraging." Eriol looked toward Sakura seeming to search her over. A look of quarry came over his face and he said to Sakura: "That necklace." he was no longer addressing the group but Sakura only which wasn't like him. Sakura couldn't help but put a hand on her necklace feeling almost naked before Eriol's eyes.  
  
"My... my necklace?" She said very confused.  
  
Eriol regained his composure and looked away from Sakura and back at the group as a whole. He cleared his throat before continuing. "It is once again becoming late and I am sure there are preparations to be made. It is now more important than ever to stay together and in more than twos whenever possible. As I said it has served us well, but." Eriol said and Sakura thought he saw him glance at Syaoran off to the side. "Remember to abide by it." Sakura felt a cold chill run over her as the last of Eriol's word were almost malicious and most certainly daunting. Eriol continued. "Until we reconvene at the dance I would like you, Sakura and Tomoyo, to stay with Yukito and Kero." He said.  
  
Sakura blushed slightly and nodded her head. Yukito then took her hand and looked at her kindly.  
  
"Nakuru, you stay with Touya." He continued. He then looked from Syaoran to Meling who was sitting with Sakura, Tomoyo, Yukito and Touya. "You are fine with Syaoran, Meling." He said but not assuredly.  
  
And with nothing more said, Eriol with Spinel at his shoulder left the room into another part of the ancient house. Sakura was curious as to why Eriol seemed to cut the meeting short. She knew he must have had his reasons and it worried her as it was unlike him and he seemed to have stopped short at the mention of her dream but then she thought again and thought it might have been at his sight of her necklace but she decided that her first theory made more sense. She felt the urge to follow after him and ask him what was wrong but she was afraid to as even though on the surface he was a dear person to her she couldn't imagine him angry and aside from acting peculiar for much of the day he also seemed to Sakura as of late just that; peculiar, if only in his way of it she thought perhaps. With what or whom he might have been angry Sakura didn't know. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and the familiar voice of, of all people, Meling. "Are you alright?"  
  
Sakura let out a deep breath and realized she must have been holding for a while. "I think so." Sakura then saw Meling's sad eyes as sad as she had ever seen them. "Are you okay, Meling?"  
  
"Wellll.no." She said plopping down on the couch they had been sitting on. Sakura sat down beside her.  
  
"What is it?" Sakura asked.  
  
"It's Li." Meling said softly without any coaxing from Sakura at all. "He's been really distant lately. And, and even though he agreed weeks ago he said he was." Meling was getting teary, "he.he's going to the dance with someone else."  
  
Meling's words struck Sakura hard. Sakura could bear the thought of Syaoran going with Meling as she had anticipated but the thought of him with someone other than Meling whom she trusted troubled her. She suddenly felt a pressure on her chest and a lump in her throat. "W-with who?" Sakura asked but already knew the answer. Time was beginning to press and the parties departed from one another to meet again at the dance in the evening.  
  
To be continued. 


	12. Sakura and her Abandoned Heart

Sakura and her Abandoned Heart  
  
In a darkly lit room a young girl stood by her lonesome looking into a tall oval mirror. Her hair was up in a bun and many thin braids hanging down or wrapped around the bun and she wore a long flowing purple satin dress. She looked at her reflection feeling that perhaps it told not of how she really was. Her face was smooth like porcelain and her hair obsidian black, shinny like moonlight reflecting off dark calm ocean waters. She was by all means as beautiful as the night and yet she was troubled, nonetheless. From a desk with other things she used to make herself up she took a comb with a dark gray metal crescent handle with many long forks to hold her hair. It was a very pretty thing but she didn't think of it so. "All of this. for one moment. One time. A time when I must do what I have to. But." She said slowly in a whisper to herself.  
  
Then there was a soft knock at the door and it cracked open letting some light stream in. "Kako?" A soft voice said and a girl stepped into the room. Kako looked at the girl. She was almost entirely in shadow but Kako could see clearly her eyes, a deep but luminous blue. Kako felt no fear or tension with the girl's appearance unlike some others in her life. "Kako," the girl continued in a low and soft voice "how are you doing? Are you ready?"  
  
"Dieae." Kako said as she looked from the girl to the drawn curtains of the window. Dieae went to Kako and put her hands on the girl's shoulders.  
  
"What is it?" She asked.  
  
Kako looked up into Dieae's soft eyes. "I. I don't know if I can do it." Kako felt the comb still in her hands and looked down at it. Dieae took it in her grasp and gently and carefully put it in Kako's hair in the back so as it couldn't be seen. Dieae then took Kako's hands in her own.  
  
"Only use it if you must." She said.  
  
"His will is much stronger than I thought." Kako said. "I fear I may have to but. I don't know. I don't know if I."  
  
"Oh if you weren't so human." Dieae said stopping Kako. "I told you not to attach yourself. Not to let feelings get in the way. But did you listen to me? For so long I have cared for you and I would think that by now I would have learned that you never listen." Dieae's intention was to scold but she could never manage it. "Come now my girl. They are waiting for us."  
  
The two girls left the room into an only slightly brighter hallway and followed it to a room lit only by candles and a crackling fire. In the room were soft arm chairs one to each side of the fire place, oriental rugs on the floor and other things of comfort here and about. Though appearing as an inviting and comfortable place, Kako felt ill-at-ease in it. She felt this way not for any reason but the eyes that bore down on her from one of the arm chairs. Dorian sat, his face in shadow but his eyes glinting from the darkness of his visage searching her over judgmentally. She noted another in the other armchair peripherally.  
  
Dorian stood and gazed at the two girls with his back to the fire appearing as a shadow wreathed in firelight. "So it all comes down to this night then. Just make sure to do your part. It all ends now." He said with a low laugh that crackled like the fire and chilled Kako through. Dorian seemed different to her tonight, more crazed and intent. His nature of reckless hate and disregard for life seemed to be burning in his eyes, eyes she felt boring into her and taking hold of her very soul.  
  
Kako turned away from him feeling small and weak as she had in his presence so many times. She then felt the delicate hands of Dieae upon her and they drew her close as she held her protectively. The now hard eyes of Dieae descended upon Dorian as hawk on it's prey. "She needs no encouragement from you! And don't presume victory so near. No plan, even one contrived by he whom we serve is immaculate."  
  
Dorian's eyes narrowed at the girl's words. "You speak blasphemy. You know of his power. Any failure would be at the erratum of those carrying out his plan, not attributed to a flawed plan for he has none!" Dorian's hands clenched at his sides and the room became tense.  
  
The hand of the one remaining in the other chair raised as his words stopped all. "That is enough." Rashein said. He stood. "Do well to remember who our enemy is. I will not tolerate this petty bickering. Roan and Traya await you at the gate. Go now and do not fail for if you do." He said and his eyes went first to Dorian with distrust and then to Kako with almost a glint of pity. "You know what will happen, and to provoke his wrath is to ask for death." he said in warning.  
  
And with that Rashein sent them away and the three made their way to the others waiting for them outside the shrine in which they dwelt. With the knowledge of what lie ahead the five souls went and Kako perceived her companions in the dusk and falling darkness of the night. Roan and Traya, tall and stern; they went hand in had as they always had; two souls together to the end. And then to Dieae, calm and apart; always separate from the others answering only to one. And finally Dorian she felt as his was the most imposing presence. His breath upon her neck she felt as he followed her closely adding to her already uneasy feeling.  
  
The distance ahead faded into dark and the streets and trees around seemed gray and featureless. Kako could remember no sounds as they walked, only the whisper of the wind through the trees and the faint call of echoes from the hollows of the distant dark places.  
  
Outside Sakura's school, attendants of the dance began to convene and there was a hint of vibrant energy to the air and Sakura couldn't help despite the forlorn tidings of the day, to feel excited and happy. With Yukito, Kero and Tomoyo she had arrived and there already was her brother, Naruku and Meling. They needed only now to wait for Spinnal and Eriol for Meling had to Sakura's dismay told that Syaoran had left to meet Kako once he had delivered her to the first of the gathering group.  
  
Sakura stood in the courtyard of the school with Tomoyo in her dress. It was of course her favorite colors of white and pink. In her hands Sakura nervously handled the headband of flowers that Syaoran had given her and around her neck was the necklace her father had given her. Tomoyo had redesigned the dress to match the headband after Sakura had showed it to her and told her of how she got it. It was Tomoyo's intent to make another piece of clothing to match the dress in cretin hopes but in the sadness of both girls things were not as they would design them to be. Sakura looked about at the people around her but perhaps noticing more who was absent. Next to her was her beloved Tomoyo in a simple blue satin dress. On Sakura's other side was Yukito in a cream-white suit. A few feet away from her stood her brother in a black suit his arms crossed and Nakuru in a sleek red dress leaning on his arm.  
  
Everything seemed calm to Sakura for the moment and she was hopeful that they would be able to enjoy their night without anything going wrong. But the expression of her brother troubled her. His eyes were somber and no trace of a smile it seemed would ever come to him again. He hadn't said anything but Sakura knew he was feeling tired again and she was worried for him. But she was slightly gladdened by Nakuru being with him. She didn't know why but it seemed to her that his mood wasn't quite as heavy when he was with her, as if some worry was lifted from him by her.  
  
No one had spoken for a time and Sakura was beginning to become restless. She looked to the sky and it was already becoming dark though she could see no stars. The thought of all the world coming to darkness came to her mind and she shuttered. Times were becoming darker by the day and there was no end in sight. She remembered what Eriol had said about the cards only being part of a grander scheme and despite her ability to capture the cards Sakura felt there was nothing she could do.  
  
With her hands clasped around her headband she closed her eyes and tried to shake the feeling of doubt in her heart. When she opened them she was met with an encouraging sight. To her Eriol strode up clad in a hansom double- breasted red and black suit and took her hand. "I apologize for my belatedness, I. had things to attend to." Sakura wondered for a moment what he could mean by this. She felt cretin it had something to do with when he ended the council early, earlier that day but she was sure he had everything under control. "Come now. We will go." he said as he took Sakura's arm and led the group into the dance.  
  
The auditorium was decorated just as well as Chiharu had said and upon it's sight Sakura felt that much better. It was a long rectangular room with long tables with food and drink on the sides and in the middle there was a dance floor on one end and round buffet tables occupying the rest of the space. There was much activity about with many happy people socializing and it made Sakura happy. She held onto Eriol's arm and lay her head on his shoulder and enjoyed his company and the company of her companions. But somewhere in her heart she felt she was missing something.  
  
Eriol was happy that Sakura was happy but he was still concerned. To his mind's eye the wicked feel of the day had not yet passed. To Touya, Nakuru and Yukito standing together not far off he gazed and not to his surprise once again Touya looked weak though unwilling to admit it.  
  
Nakuru with Yukito stood behind a buffet table distributing drinks. Touya stood some distance away alone leaning on the near by wall. Nakuru glanced at him with a look of apprehension and then departed Yukito to Touya's side. He acknowledged her with an almost appreciative glance but made no other movement. Nakuru felt disheartened. He was once again weakening despite her efforts. She turned to him and put her hand upon his breast. She felt the beating of his heart and she looked into the deep of his eyes. In her heart she felt a pain, one that lye deep within Touya. 'Despite all your strength you have no defense against that of which you are assailed. I can give you only some of my strength but if I am weakened if fear for what may happen to you.' She though. Her hand moved to his shoulder and she lye her head on his chest so as to look casual to any observers.  
  
"It wasn't enough." She said softly. "You suffer still."  
  
Touya closed his eyes and felt the girl upon him. His hand ran through her silky hair and then rested upon the crick of her neck. "It's not your fault." he said softly. Nakuru looked up to him and he looked down into her lucid eyes. He touched the smooth flesh of her cheek slightly flushed a pail red. He ran his thumb over her lips as he opened his as if to speak though he did not. She could feel on her chest his heart racing but she thought perhaps it was her own.  
  
Suddenly Touya's expression changed and his eyes went to Yukito. He looked back to Nakuru and then away from her. He took his hand from her cheek. "I'm sorry." He said as he hastened off. Though he did so not without some regret, Nakuru's heart sank. She leaned on the wall still warm from his body. Suddenly Nakuru's attention was called by something. She sensed it as she would magic but she felt nothing of the sort. She went back to Touya and Yukito and with a look at Touya's eyes she knew he had felt the same.  
  
It was there and gone. No trace of it they could feel any more but it concerned them still. Nakuru looked at Touya once again with some regret. But before she could say a word he spoke to her: "Whatever it is we can talk about it later." he said though he knew very well what it was.  
  
"Your right." She responded with her head slightly bowed with a sense of regret.  
  
Touya sighed and felt fatigued. But then something caught his eye and he looked up. Nakuru looked in the direction he was looking but saw nothing. "What is it?" She asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. Maybe nothing." He said as skipped into the crowd in pursuit. Nakuru attempted to followed and sent Yukito to get the others.  
  
Sakura sat with Tomoyo and Meling at a small round banquet table with a pink tablecloth. Eriol had gone to watch for signs of trouble as well as to get some more drinks. He had earlier told Kero and Spinel to stay out of sight but to keep their eyes open. Kero was particularly upset by this and spent most of the night looking for signs of trouble near the refreshment tables with only Spinel to keep him from ambushing them. Sakura leaned on her had and watched Tomoyo run her finger over the rim of her glass making a soft but heavenly hum. Sakura let out a melancholy sigh and glanced at Meling. Even though Sakura was with Eriol this night. But as she glanced at Meling it was evident that she felt ten times as miserable.  
  
"Come on, cheer up you two!" Tomoyo said as cheerfully as she could.  
  
"What do I have to be cheerful about?" Meling said seeming on the brink of tears or a temper tantrum. "I haven't seen Li all night and he promised that even though. even th. he promised to come and dance with me and he hasn't." Meling's whimpering was getting more and more irritating even though the other two girls understood. Tomoyo attempted to console her while Sakura sat still and ran her finger along the rim of her glass.  
  
No sound could she make but she fell too deep into thought to notice. She thought of Syaoran and how seldom he was around as of late and the apparent reasons behind it. The more she thought about it the more suspicious she became of Kako. She didn't know what she was suspicious of though. Syaoran would seem to drop everything when Kako was around and when she wasn't around Syaoran seemed distant or uninterested in anything that the group was doing. Sakura was beginning to admit to herself that she was jealous but still she wondered, if Kako could be doing something to Syaoran. And she wondered still while on the subject of distant friends about her dear Yukito. He had been as he always was but that is all; it was only him. It had been some time since she had seen Yue's white wings and she missed him dearly.  
  
Nakuru worked her way through the crowd and when she found him he was standing in the middle of the dance floor starring. "What is it?" she said before looking from him to the sight he was so intent on. For a moment he seemed to have an angry look but it was mixed with quarry or doubt. She then looked and was surprised if not disgusted by what she saw. Dorian with Dieae, Roan and Traya stood on the other side of the gym with their backs to Nakuru and Touya. "What is he doing here!" Touya said rhetorically in a low but wrathful voice.  
  
Before Nakuru could stop him, Touya stormed over to Dorian and dug his fingers into his shoulder before turning him around to face him. "What are you doing here!" Touya accused loudly drawing the attention of all the people around him. As Nakuru caught up and stood next to Touya, the expression on Dorian's face was somewhat uncharacteristic. He was wincing a bit from Touya's grasp but there was also a look of sheer shock on his face as if he were surprised to see Touya alive. But after a moment the shock began to turn to reproach as he grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes at Touya.  
  
Recognizing that if something was not done immediately there would be a regrettable occurrence, the hands of Traya and Nakuru took hold of Touya's arm, which still held the shoulder of Dorian's crimson suit. Naruku made eye contact with Touya. "Is this any way to greet our friends?" she stated. Touya let go of Dorian and the situation seemed to calm.  
  
The six then walked over to a refreshments table and got some punch. They then sat down at a buffet table. Despite Nakuru's obvious message to stop acting rashly, Touya did so anyway. "Why are you at a high school dance? I know for a fact how old you are." He said only a little less accusingly this time.  
  
Dorian cackled a bit and then responded. "I could ask you the same, but I'm helping Dieae here chaperone. She has a sister that goes here."  
  
"Oh yah?" Touya said as he looked at Dieae sitting on the other side of the table. "Is that right."  
  
"Her name is Kako." Dieae said.  
  
"Huhm." Touya said seemingly not listening to the girl. He instead starred at Dorian a couple of seats over to his left with Nakuru between them. Dorian with a snide smile ignored him and gazed off into the crowd idly slurping on his punch.  
  
Nakuru was relived that nothing had happened but she was starting to develop doubts or even suspicions about these people, as she was sure that Touya had. But Nakuru wasn't so much tipped-off by Dorian as Touya was but by Roan. For some reason beyond her reasoning, he felt eerily familiar to her and defiantly not in a good way. That and even though she had only met him a few times he always acted strange as if he was somehow put off by her. Tonight was no different. She had noticed that he was making an effort not to make eye contact with her. And not only that he seemed on edge or timid and she thought that odd of such a tall and broad guy.  
  
After a few minuets of idle and somewhat evasive conversation, Touya and Nakuru took their leave of Dorian and the others. After they had gone Dorian ceased to control himself. His fist came down upon the table with a crash making the silverware jump and then clatter. "Damn it!" He said but tried to keep it to a low roar. "What am I doing here he asks? What about him? He's supposed to be dead already!"  
  
"Calm yourself before you draw attention." Dieae snapped. "So your spell wasn't completely effective, deal with it! He is your charge after all."  
  
Dorian slumped in his chare seeming to be brooding. "He's just a human, he couldn't have survived."  
  
"So he had help. It doesn't surprise me; they tend to do that for each other, humans. I'd say it was Nakuru, the girl that was by his side. But your spell may still run its course after all, just be patient." Dieae said seeming to be amused with Dorian's failure.  
  
"That wasn't a girl named Nakuru, Dieae." Roan interrupted. "You know who and what she was, certainly not human."  
  
"No more human than you, Roan." She responded. "But human enough. Clow made them that way. All of them. And I suggest that you fix whatever problem you have with her that is making you cower like a dog."  
  
Roan didn't respond but stood and walked away. Before following, Traya put in her two cents: "He's not afraid."  
  
"Afraid of her, angry for what she did, it matters not. As long as he can fight. You know that." Dieae said in a sympathetic way.  
  
"Well you could be nicer about it." Traya said and then went after him.  
  
Dieae closed her eyes and sighed. Dorian was beginning to feel restless. "Dieae!" he said jolting her out of any calm state she might have been in.  
  
"Your right. It is time." She said.  
  
"The others?"  
  
"They will know, they are more capable than you give them credit for." Dieae said. "The trap is set. They are dormant but will awaken. Kako made sure of that and when they do, that is when we will strike."  
  
"Oh no, oh no, oh no." Sakura whispered as she, Tomoyo, Meling and Yukito rushed to find her brother and Nakuru. "Sakura, what is it?" Tomoyo asked as they stopped to look around for a moment.  
  
Sakura's hand went to her chest and clutched her Star Key. "I'm not sure. I feel something." Sakura said as she held onto Yukito's hand. She looked up to him and he gave her a reassuring smile and one also broke across her lips through her worry. For a moment she saw the flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes of Yueh in her mind as she gazed up at Yukito. She felt even more grief in her heart for yet another whom she felt abandoned by.  
  
"Sakura!" She heard Tomoyo call and as she looked and saw what she thought was a very welcome sight. Eriol strode up and Sakura felt her spirits rise just a little but however they fell from any height they might have obtained once she saw his grim expression and heard his words.  
  
"Come quickly. The others are waiting for us." He said.  
  
"What's going on?" Sakura asked rather desperately.  
  
"I fear we will find out soon enough" Eriol said. "Touya and the other guardians await us." Eriol repeated and then looked toward doors leading to a hallway. "There."  
  
Eriol began toward the door but Sakura quickly realized who he had left out. "Wait!" She exclaimed as she ran up to him. "What about Syaoran? Where's Syaoran?"  
  
"Yah, where is Li!" Meling joined in.  
  
Eriol stopped. He paused for a moment before responding but it seemed years to Sakura. "The Descendant alone faces his own trial this night." Eriol's voice sounded grim or without hope to Sakura's ears. She stood for a moment not knowing what to do. The look of distress on Sakura's face concerned Eriol. He caught a glint of intent and what looked like anger in Sakura's eyes, anger of the sort toward a person with malice or jealousy. As he expected, Sakura turned on her heal to go in search of her friend seemingly with a vengeance.  
  
"Sakura, no!" Eriol said as he took hold of Sakura's arm and she suddenly felt frozen stiff. "You cannot help him! Even though it is true that we are committed to one another some paths must be walked alone." His words were stern and his eyes commanding, Sakura felt them like thunder. She now knew what she had suspected for some time. She saw into him at this brief moment. She saw what wrath lie within him. But Sakura had no fear of this wrath by the softness that presently came to Eriol's eyes. "You must walk your own path, Sakura" he said "as do we all but do not worry for our paths all lead to the same place and yours will cross with his again. Of this I am sure."  
  
Once again Eriol's words brought a smile to Sakura's face and her spirits somewhat rose. As she walked ahead with the others Eriol stood for a moment and whispered to himself: "Fear not, Sakura for his is not wholly without aid." he waved his hand though the air and closed his eyes. "Let the wind carry you from you peril, son of Clow."  
  
The white light of the moon shone through the panes of a classroom window through the branches of a tree shattering the light as it fell onto Kako's fair skin. She stood peering out the window admiringly with her arms wrapped about her. Behind her on the edge of a desk, Syaoran sat gazing at her in wonder.  
  
"Kako" he said quietly "why have you brought me here?" Syaoran couldn't help question himself as he looked back on the day. It seemed blurry or fragmented. Many mornings seemed this way. Anytime he was with Kako time seemed to pass differently, if slower or faster he could not tell. It troubled him as time was once his dominion and he now felt a longing for that power. He looked up at Kako returning from his thoughts. Her hair glinted in the light of the moon and he rose and went to her but out of what impulse he couldn't discern.  
  
She put her arms about his neck and looked out the window. Syaoran looked as well and beyond through the branches of the tree he saw the cold of the night and the moon low in the sky. "Isn't it beautiful?" Kako murmured. The soft sound of the wind seemed to come and go with her voice. Syaoran felt himself begin to lull into the state that this girl seemed to bring him into as if by magic.  
  
His gaze became bleak and his attention wavered. But then he saw something that seemed to kindle a fire deep within his heart; seemingly brought by the wind, fluttering down from some unknown height they came; cherry blossoms. Their color was vibrant despite the dark of the night and they glittered in the sky by the light of the crescent moon. Out of the fire of his heart brought by this vision of serendipity ascended the thought of another and her warm lips upon a frigid morn. 'Sakura.' he whispered on a soft breath.  
  
Kako heard no sound but saw his lips and knew then what truly was in his heart. She told herself she had been right all along and there was no room left in his heart. Her hand found it's way to the comb at the back of her hair. It's metal felt cold on her fingertips. She hesitated to draw it for if she did she knew what fate would befall Syaoran but at the same time if she did not she also knew her own fate.  
  
To be continued. 


	13. Darkness Fallen

Darkness Fallen  
  
There was barely any light in the hall once the doors closed behind Sakura, Eriol, Meling, Yukito and Tomoyo. Kero, Soupy, Nakuru and Touya stood near a window and the only source of light coming from the moon. As she and her companions assembled once again it stayed silent and dark and Sakura was beginning to feel frightened. There was no way to know what was possibly about to transpire and despite all her companions, Sakura was truly afraid, afraid perhaps even for their very lives; for the feelings of the day had not lifted but felt all the more heavy with impending fate.  
  
Touya stood with Yukito on one side of the window with Yuki in the light and Touya in shadow. Nakuru stood with Soupy on her shoulder on the other side also in shadow. Touya, though he wouldn't say as much, felt regretful for pushing Nakuru away for he had known of her feelings for him for some time and he couldn't say he didn't feel at least something toward her. Something in him, however wouldn't allow him act on his feelings ere his commitment to Yukito.  
  
But Touya was dismayed as it felt to him that he and Yukito were becoming distanced weather it be because of their current circumstances or just simple truth that he was weakening and the only one with the strength to help him was her. He knew that could mean sacrificing one for another and he wasn't prepared to do that just yet. But he thought perhaps that that time could come sooner than he had thought perhaps at the dawn of that very day.  
  
Sakura took notice of her companions but felt no better but a little worse as none appeared to be very hopeful. Her dear Tomoyo wasn't even recording anything on her camcorder and Meling was just starring out the window probably thinking of Syaoran. On Meling's left and right were Touya and Nakuru. Sakura was a little trouble as the two were separated and seeming to be ignoring each other. 'I thought that they came to the dance together.' Sakura thought. 'She's so pretty and Touya and her look good together. And he always seems stronger with her. I wonder what's wrong.' Her eyes then went to Yukito and he smiled at her again but this time she could only manage a weak smile for her spirits had fallen far in the last few moments in the dark.  
  
Lastly she perceived Eriol standing near the other wall away from the group. Sakura couldn't see his face as the light from the moon fell just short of his shoulders. She felt the urge to ask of him what would happen and she began toward him but stopped short in fear as all she could see of him suddenly faded and then vanished. She heard herself gasp and realized that the light from the moon was gone. She froze in place. Suddenly she felt a very long way from the others. Fear gripped her and she felt like crying out. But before she could yell any question one was answered for her, one that she perhaps did not want the answer to.  
  
"It has begun." Eriol's voice came through the darkness to all. There was a dim glow of gold light and the dark figures of her companions appeared out of the fading darkness before Sakura's eyes. She felt relief that she wasn't alone and the light grew brighter. She looked toward its source and behold! In Eriol's hands shedding the majestic light was his Sun-Wand and upon him were his robes of red, gold and black and to his sides were his loyal guardians: Spinel-Sun and Ruby Moon.  
  
Sakura stood for a moment not really knowing what Eriol was saying had begun and suddenly but gradually, depending how she looked at it, she felt a flood of power wash over her. She and the others had been feeling various odd things throughout the day but it was nothing compared to what was now felt. It was a jumble of many different wavelengths of power some hardly noticeable and some seeming to pulse and burn with a hateful feel. But some though being overshadowed by others clearly stood out to Sakura. They were that of Clow Cards, and more than one.  
  
After exploring the strange, familiar or frightening powers in a state of meditation it seemed to her, Sakura opened her eyes and looked at Eriol. He gave her a somewhat reassuring look and then closed his eyes. "Now we know." he said. "We face tonight a trial by fire I fear for I now know my suspicions to be true."  
  
"What suspicions?" Touya asked.  
  
"There is little time for explanation now." Eriol said but before he could say another word there was heard a commotion coming from the dance. Sakura could tell that it was cries of fear and confusion but she didn't know why. She, with Eriol and the others behind her went to the doors and peered into the dance and heard more clearly now the sounds of panic but saw nothing, as it was black within.  
  
"What do we do?" Sakura asked as she became concerned for all her friends within.  
  
"We must calm them." Eriol said.  
  
"The Sleep Card!" Sakura said proudly as she looked to Eriol. He nodded his head and everyone stepped back as she released her star-wand and then Sleep with a glittery blue light. The tiny sprite stood upon Sakura's hand. "Put everyone to sleep except us." Sakura instructed and then let Sleep through a crack she opened in the door and soon enough all lay upon the floor in a perhaps a not so peaceful slumber.  
  
Sakura felt happy with her accomplishment but all glee in her faded as the powers around her began to become stronger. "Now what?" Sakura asked Eriol as she returned the Sleep card to her pocket. Eriol didn't answer for a moment and Sakura once again began to feel frightened. The expression on his face made Sakura feel as though she wouldn't like what he had in mind.  
  
Finally he spoke: "We have cleared the way. Now we must move forward, into the darkness."  
  
Sakura felt a shiver as the words came off his tongue. "Fear not, Sakura, you are not alone." He said and they prepared to enter the darkness that lye beyond. The guardians, Spinel-Sun, Kero and Ruby Moon went first and behind them came Eriol and then Sakura hand in hand with Tomoyo and then the rest with Yukito holding the hand of Meling and Touya taking up the rear.  
  
The moon and the cherry blossoms had vanished from Syaoran's sight and he suddenly felt an emptiness to the night as if he were now alone. He knew he was not however for he felt Kako still upon him. But only one arm did he feel upon his neck, the other had slipped away unnoticed. He suddenly felt the hand upon him trembling and he then heard the ting of metal falling to the ground. "I can't." He heard Kako sob as she let herself fall into his arms. Syaoran felt a slight change in the air as he held this now broken girl.  
  
The change grew gradually stronger as if a spell blocking his senses were warring off and then Syaoran suddenly felt the wave of power pour over him and the many powers at work reviled themselves to him but he had trouble discerning one from another. He felt still a little disoriented and everything seemed to blur together like smeared oil paint over an intangible canvas.  
  
He perceived a sense of urgency and felt the need to flee to Sakura and the others but he didn't want to abandon Kako. "What's.what's wrong?" he managed to ask while he struggled to sort out his the jumbled powers and emotions in and around him. She gave no answer but stopped crying and stood apart from him. Things then became suddenly clear to Syaoran and he was troubled by all he felt. One thing seemed to stand out that at that moment brought question to his mind; he felt the power of the Sleep card and Kako was unaffected by it's magic.  
  
The hateful power burning in the air then grew stronger and began overshadow all else. Li now knew that he was indeed needed but something kept him from running this time. He looked toward Kako and even though there was complete darkness he could still see the glint of her teary eyes almost as if their light came from within. He wanted to say something but he still couldn't make sense of anything.  
  
From his sight her eyes shut and vanished and he heard the light patter of her feet as she fled from him. He made no attempt to stop or peruse her though he didn't know why. After a moment he started toward the door to return to his friends but stopped when he felt something under his foot. He knelt down and illuminated the room a bit with a fire scroll. He peered down and on the floor was the metal hair comb with a crescent-moon shaped handle. As he looked at it he could feel his senses growing more acute and a slight power did he pick up from it. The other powers about began to worry him further and he had no time to linger. He put the comb in his pocket and left to find his friends.  
  
Sakura and the others slowly passed through the doors into the dance being careful not to step on anyone. Sakura could sense their slumber was indeed unpleasant as most though asleep had expressions of terror on their faces. Sakura wondered what could have frightened them so and she feared that whatever it was they were now drawing closer to. Though Eriol's wand gave a soft light it didn't travel far, all around was darkness into what seemed a vast distance. The light from the wand seemed to be jumping outward upon the floor but it seemed then to be pushed back by the darkness.  
  
The deeper into the dance they went the stronger the powers in the air got and the weaker Touya became. Even though Naruku now had the wings of a butterfly and a new name and was far apart from him, she could still feel his condition worsening. She knew that it meant they were drawing near but that didn't concern her as much as did Touya. She felt a weight on her heart for him as in this night there was no assurance of anything least of all victory unscathed.  
  
She did not realize it but as she walked she bit her soft red lip. Eriol, though eyes closed and head bowed as he walked stepping over people at need, noticed and made note. "You are frightened for him." He said softly if not in a whisper then with no sound at all but Ruby heard.  
  
"I know you can give me no words of hope as even you do not know the outcome of this coming of events." he perceived her say in much the same way as he.  
  
Soon enough, but certainly not in Sakura's mind, they came to a point and Eriol stopped. Sakura estimated that they were toward the back of the gym near the doors to the courtyard. The group gathered into a tight huddle each touching another all surrounding Sakura. Eriol turned to her and their eyes met. "What do you feel?" He said already knowing the answer.  
  
Sakura wasn't sure how to answer him as she felt many different and some unfamiliar powers. "I." She started and thought on it for a moment.  
  
Touya was feeling frustrated by this time weather it be by his condition or his nature. He looked at Eriol with particular displeasure. "This isn't the time for tests and lessons!" He ridiculed. Sakura looked at her brother feeling as though he was protecting her but also not benefiting the group by arguing. "Tell us what you know because you always know it first!"  
  
Eriol's eyes shot to Touya and he was taken back by their sudden intensity. "Sakura and Sakura alone wheedles the power of the cards of those of us here. They remain under the influence of The Phantom but the cards have a special bond with Sakura as they do with the descendant, a loyalty, one which surpasses perhaps even the strongest of powers. She must seek them and take no council on it. That is the way it was ordained and it holds through even to such desperate times as these." Eriol said and then looked critically at Touya. "Do you have not faith in her?"  
  
"Faith.?" Touya whispered. He then bowed his head and looked at Sakura with a smile. "Of course I do."  
  
Sakura felt slightly warmer inside and more confident with her brother's succor. She held her wand to her chest and closed her eyes and took in more fully the world around her. She thought about all the strange events of the day; first her brother's injured hand and his rash mood throughout the day and his assault as it were. 'Somehow I feel like it's my fault. But she was there to save him. I'm glad.' Second, Eriol's strange behavior: 'He was standing looking out the window. He looked worried. But he looked even more worried when he ended the meeting short.' And third of Syaoran, much could have come to her mind with the thought of this boy, many things had in the past but in this moment only one thing did come to her mind: 'Where are you?'  
  
Then through her mind flashed the feelings and images of the event that preceded all else that day: 'My dream.' She felt cold as the memories of the frightening vision returned to her. She gripped her wand in her hands as the dark and hateful powers around her strengthened.  
  
"It was cold then like now." She said softly. "But this place is much. darker." And then out of that darkness she finally understood and then felt it's coming. "It's the Shadow!" Sakura screamed and all around the group the darkness leapt up from the floor darting upward to envelop them. Without any thought and seemingly not even at her command, The Thunder Card swept up from her pocket above her head and her wand in hand followed it. Raigui, The Thunder Beast, flowed from the card above the group and dispelled it's foe, Shadow with a mighty burst of white lightning that radiated in all directions with a resounding crack of thunder. Shadow was thrown back every which way and severely weakened, as the power of Thunder was more intense than it had ever been.  
  
Sakura, still holding her wand high, was astounded and somewhat horrified with what had just transpired. She gave no verbal commands to Thunder but had thought them in her mind. She then regained her focus and shouted in the language of Clow the words that ended all of her conflicts: "Return to your true form, Phantom card!" Shadow swirled through the air from all around and at the end of Sakura's wand its card appeared.  
  
"Oh Yah!" Kero busted out with right next to Sakura's ear. "Your Star must be shinen' bright tonight!" Sakura put her had over her ear and looked at Kero with one eye squeezed shut. "Owww! You're louder than Raigui!" Sakura then looked to her new card as it floated in the air and she put out her hand to receive it. But it did not come to her. Instead it looped in the air and then flew into the darkness disappearing from Sakura's sight.  
  
Sakura then looked at Eriol for answer. "Let it go." He said. "It seems that Shadow was ordained to have a different master for now."  
  
Sakura looked around with an expression of confusion on her face. "Why is it still dark? I sealed it didn't I?"  
  
"The lights are off." Touya said in his usual tone when Sakura missed the obvious.  
  
"We cannot stay here." Eriol said suddenly. He was referring to the powers in the air. Instead of intensifying further they seemed to have subsided. Sakura could still feel at least one other card still undiscovered but the hateful power that had burned through the air was absent or hiding itself. Sakura had a feeling that whatever it was coming from was still out there somewhere veiled by the darkness waiting to strike.  
  
"There are too many innocent about." Eriol continued. "To the courtyard." The group started toward the near by doors. As they approached, the doors began to appear out of the still darkness as Eriol's wand's golden light reached them. Sakura felt as though she was leaving the burning powers that frightened her so behind in the dark, but her heart stopped as Eriol suddenly stopped short of the doors.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sakura asked desperately as she held onto the hand of Tomoyo once again.  
  
Eriol did not turn around. "This way is closed to us." He said in a low voice. "There is not escape." Sakura and Tomoyo both gasped at his defeated words. He turned. Both girls were surprised and somewhat frightened by his expression. It was a dark expression, his face half in shadow and his eyes telling of a hatred within. What the hatred was towards they couldn't guess but Sakura was not surprised by his once again dark demeanor; he was as he had been several times before in her presence. It worried her as, if Eriol, Clow's reincarnation, was doubtful, what hope did they have?  
  
Sakura glanced from Eriol to the doors and only wondered for a moment before she understood why they couldn't escape. "All the exits are blocked by the Lock Card!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Correct." Eriol said. "And now we must face that which is within these walls."  
  
"What is that?" Touya asked as everyone grouped together with Sakura, Tomoyo and Meling in the center. He looked at Ruby and could tell that she had at least an idea of what was hunting them. As Ruby looked back at him she could feel that it was taking all the strength he had left just to stay standing and appear strong.  
  
"I have not the valiancy to say for I do not know for certain." Eriol said after a moments pause. There was then a cold breeze that seemed to come from nowhere. All were then still and silent and the only sound was the slight flutter of Spinel-Sun's and Ruby's wings. "Stay back." Eriol said calmly as he and his guardians went forward.  
  
When a few strides away, Eriol thrust his wand into the air and it's glow instantly became a brilliant and blinding ray of the sun. The light illuminated the entire room for an instant and what Sakura saw beyond struck fear into her heart; four black forms suspended in the air some distance away over the bodies of all. The feeling of her dream filled her and she was frozen with terror.  
  
The next instant the light lessened and the glow from Eriol's wand grew and filled the room dimly but all could be seen though with deep black shadows being cast. The four forms seemed to be radiating darkness. They looked to be on fire but with a flame that gave no light or heat.  
  
Eriol then said in a regretful sounding voice: "I am now certain."  
  
One of the dark forms then came ahead of the others and raised its hand out. There was then the sound of a demonic voice. "Nocrhem mechgorg eshkgrogh!"  
  
Spinel's head reared back and his voice snarled with shocked disgust. "The Demon Language of the Usol Delgoth!" And as his words came to their end the eyes of the dark-formed demon went ablaze with a hatful red light that's terror was only surpassed by its piercing scream. There leapt from its outstretched hand a blinding Hell-Fire that burst across the distance between the two parties with terrible speed. Eriol swung his wand down and cast a spell that saved them from a scorching death; the wall of flame coming toward them was deflected by an invisible shield. As the flame bounced off its power was spent and it fizzled out into a wispy smoke harming no one.  
  
The next instant, Ruby and Spinel struck back at their assailers. Spinel's red Orb and Ruby's Crystal Shards sped forth and struck the demons with a deep boom but to the dismay of the group it did little. Ruby and Spinel, angered, flew forth to meet with the enemy and punish them. They gathered energy for a second attack as they flew but before anything could be done a second demon came forth, smaller then the first with eyes of burning blue. It thrust its hands out sending an orb of blue flame toward the advancing guardians.  
  
Touya's eyes grew wide as the orb struck the pair and he suddenly felt Ruby's pain and fell to his knees. "Touya!" Sakura exclaimed as she went to her brother's side along with Tomoyo and Yukito. Sakura squeezed the hand of her brother as he hung onto his own life seemingly soon to be in vain. He struggled to keep his eyes open and he looked into his sister's and she saw the true mortal danger he was in. "Touya!" She repeated as she began to cry. "I have to do something."She sobbed softly as she felt her brother's hand becoming cold as if his life were rapidly slipping away.  
  
Above, the guardians were thrown back and hurt but would not yield. They divided and circled to either side of the demons and made their second attack. Surrounding their enemy they swooped in for the strike but as they were about to overtake them the four demons darted away with speed. Before Ruby gathered what where they had done a heavy fist came down upon her neck and she plunged to the floor crashing down through a table, painfully. As she looked upward she saw not the first two demons but one of the other two; larger than the others and with the pain it had inflicted upon her came a strange feeling of deja vu, she then knew she had fought this fight before and the look of vengeance was in this demon's eyes. The demon then plunged down upon her taking hold of her neck and striking her with his other fist again and again. She then fell limp with her strength leaving her. She looked weakly up at the dark form atop her and in it's eyes she found the truth of him. She was now convinced that she was in dire peril and with desperate strength she put her hands upon the dark form's chest and plunged her crystal shards into his ungodly body. It roared deeply in pain as it reared back from Ruby into the air. There came a red orb that struck the demon and threw him back. The demon darted away to return to the others of his kind. Ruby took short breaths as she suffered and lye helpless upon the ground.  
  
Spinel, distracted for a moment in helping his comrade, did not see and his enemies come from his sides one after another striking to his head whipping it one-way and then another with a violent jolt. He crashed to the ground also, only narrowly missing innocents by his will. He struggled to his feet and charged his magic as he looked for his foes. He found them where they had been at the beginning. He rose to the air and went to Ruby. He nuzzled her to her feet and with one arm around his strong neck she and Spinel rose once again to the air. They peered forth and the demons were now in-between them and the rest of the group.  
  
Spinel looked at Ruby. "You are hurt."  
  
She grit her teeth and stared hard at the dark forms dividing Spinel and she from their master and his allies. "I am fine."  
  
"You were weakened even before this battle began. I am worried for you." He responded.  
  
"Your concern is touching but we must fight on."  
  
"Yes," he said. "We must."  
  
As they looked forward a dark hand once again raised for the attack. At this instant the guardians went forth with all speed and met with their assailers. Each was met with two enemies to combat and they did not fair well. Their strikes were evaded and repaid twice over. Outnumbered and overpowered, Ruby and Spinel fought through and regrouped on the other side. Though they fought hard it felt as though the demons held some of their wrath back as to insult them further.  
  
The two guardians grouped together to channel the last of their strength into one last blow. "It will be up to the others if we are defeated." Ruby said and Spinel responded: "We are already defeated. We must now do what we can to weaken them for the next battle without us." And at this they dispelled all the magic in their being toward the forms of darkness and the room filled with light as their spells tore into the enemy with viscous power.  
  
Though drained the two stayed in the air and watched for the mist clear and reveal their defeated enemies. Ruby's eyes then suddenly grew wide as an orb of blue flame swept out from the mist and tore Spinel from the sky next to her and sent him back and through the wall of the room. She then looked back and for not even a second saw the flash of blue light before she too was expelled from the battle to lye along side Spinel somewhere out in the dark of the night.  
  
A grim look overtook Eriol as he starred up at the demons. "The guardians have fallen. They have passed out of this place, and they are not the only ones." For a moment no one knew what he spoke of but it was then realized that Sakura was nowhere to be found. "Everyone outside now! Help Touya. Go!" He commanded without movement. He stood as the others started to flee out the doors with Yukito and Meling under each of Touya's arms. Eriol looked into the eyes of the red-eyed demon and it was there he found some of the answers he sought. He then retreated with the others.  
  
The limp bodies of the defeated guardians were sprawled across the ground in back of the building in deep ruts their falling bodies had made in the ground. They lied defeated next to one another and kneeling in-between them with a caring hand on each was Sakura; her head hung low with remorse. The group rushed to the three. Touya was gently set down next to Ruby and his sister once again went to him, Kero with her, just as concerned.  
  
Eriol knelt where Sakura had been and looked at his guardians. Spinel weakly raised his head from the ground as he lie on his side while Ruby remained motionless. "We failed you, master. I'm sorry." Eriol made no response. He placed his wand over each and gentile wings of white light wrapped them in Eriol's majestic power and returned them to their temporary forms of Nakuru and Spinel. "You have done your part and I thank you for it." He said gently. He then stood and looked to Sakura. She held her brother in her arms, the tears running down her fair face. "There is nothing more you can do for him." Eriol said.  
  
Sakura looked at Eriol. "I though. I though if I. if I got him out, if I got him away from them that it would. I sealed The Lock Card with the Trough, but it doesn't matter does it?" Sakura held her brother tight and her tears fell onto his face. "Oh Touya! .Please don't die..." She sobbed.  
  
Sakura then felt a clod breeze and looked up and gasped at the sight of the demons hovering at the broken wall starring once again. Sakura looked at her companions and then Eriol came to her with his hand outstretched. "The battle is not futile. Stand with me Clow Mistress." He said. For the first time that day Eriol's words brought Sakura hope and she took his hand.  
  
Touya barely being able to keep his eyes open looked up at his sister and Eriol. He then looked to his side to see the shimmering burgundy eyes of Nakuru upon him. He could tell she was weak and in as much danger as he. With little strength left, Touya lifted his arm and put it around the girl. His other hand met hers and their fingers linked. Touya looked at the bandage still on his hand and a flame seemed to suddenly kindle within him and his strength began to return little by little and though he knew not where this new strength was coming from he gave to Nakuru what he could in hops of repaying her for that day.  
  
Eriol and Sakura stood side by side together and starred into the lifeless burning eyes of their foes. Separated by a distance; the battlefield was before them. Sakura felt ill at ease, as she doubted any of her cards were strong enough to contend with even one of these "Usol Delgoth" as Spinel referred to them. And even with Eriol's hopeful words she could still sense doubt in his heart.  
  
The cold wind blew across the area; they were now in the courtyard behind the gym. The darkness was only pushed back so far by the glow of Eriol's wand and no moon shone above for the clouds would not give leave to it's white light. Sakura stood close to Eriol and gripped her wand nervously. Eriol gave Sakura no glance of encouragement but stared coldly into the eyes of the red-flamed demon.  
  
Suddenly Eriol raised his wand to the air. "You shall fall." He said commandingly and swung the wand downward and as he did from the sky over the demons came a thin rain that came down swiftly like glass shards. The demons screeched in sudden pain as they dropped from the sky landing soundly with feet upon the earth. "I have taken their flight. Now our battle begins." Eriol said softly to Sakura.  
  
No sooner did Sakura hear Eriol's dark words did she see the hands of the demons raise and then the flash of their magic. Eriol swiftly took Sakura in his arms and thrust his wand outward toward the demons and they're fiery magic smoldered upon Eriol's protective spell spanning across them protecting all that were behind. The flame however this time did not stop after a moment but kept coming and though she was in Eriol's arms, the terror of the lethal fire so close frightened her to death. And at the same time she was troubled by Eriol's state, the strength of the flame was intense and he could not hold out for long. It now seemed to be a fatal contest of endurance.  
  
Eriol's face began to show more and more clearly of his strife. A testament to his strength in Sakura's eyes, Eriol began to advance on their enemy. He let Sakura go and made his approach with her at his back huddled close. With each step forward Eriol pushed back the wall of flame and its spell seemed to become weaker.  
  
Eriol cast the last of his strength into a mighty thrust forward repelling the flames back onto their foes with a roar and there was then silence. The ground on area between was now smoldering molten concrete glowing a dull orange lighting the area with an eerie glow. Eriol's wand no longer shone golden and he now supported himself with it.  
  
Sakura knew not what to do when she looked upon the demons and their appearance hadn't changed. She was now the only one left to fight. She thought back to her dream and remembered the feelings stirring in her as the dream was coming to its close: feelings of wishing to be protected, wishing to be saved. But she now felt alone and utterly powerless against these creatures of darkness. But she knew she had to be strong for all depended now on her.  
  
Sakura looked at Eriol and his eyes told her to fight. She felt in his eyes the courage and determination to face the demons. She looked at the demons standing amid the burning embers blowing in the air like orange fireflies dancing in the wind. She thought of her brother, Eriol's fallen guardians, and her friends, Tomoyo and Meling all who suffered because of these creatures. Sakura clenched her wand and called to the demons: "You hurt my friends!" Then suddenly a card flew up before her. She thrust her wand into it and summoned its spirit to her assistance. "Freeze Card! Release and dispel!"  
  
The mighty blue fish rose from the card and hovered above its master with steam surrounding it as the embers in the sky burned on its skin. Sakura looked out over the battlefield of fire and brimstone and knew what to do. "Freeze Card! Cover everything in ice!" Sakura's words were callous and vengeful, surprising even her. Freeze above dove across the battlefield as if on a strong wind leaving in its wake a veil of steam and mist. Freeze returned to rest in card form and the mist faded from the field reveling a glistening crackling icescape.  
  
The demons too were covered in ice and Sakura stepped onto the battlefield to finish them. Slowly and very cautiously she crept toward the mass of ice they were entrapped in. The ice was thick and Sakura could only see their dark forms within. Now that it seemed to her that she had the advantage she wasn't sure what to do next, if she was to kill them or just to somehow keep them imprisoned. She didn't like the thought of killing them but she didn't know what else to do for she somehow knew that keeping them contained was an impossibility. But before she could make any decision, there came a light from within the ice. The eyes of the red demon shone once again. Brighter and brighter but the light not only came from its eyes but its hands. The ice began to crack, as the flame in the palm of its hands grew more intense until there came a sudden flash and with a screeching boom the ice exploded outward and threw Sakura to the ground.  
  
"Ecsteh shren mechna mu!" Sakura heard in the demon's tongue, as she lay motionless upon the icy ground. Petrified with fear, she slowly turned her head to see the four demons looking at her from afar. "You cannot save your friends, nor yourself, pathetic human!" The red-eyed demon said. It raised its hand once again and in it an orb of flame flickered.  
  
All the memories and all people of her life went through Sakura's mind and she squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
Sakura heard the scream of the demon and felt something take hold of her and she felt herself flung to the side narrowly avoiding her death. She suddenly felt the smoldering heat of the demon's flame burning. She felt upon her another warmness however, one which felt not menacing or hateful. She felt herself in the arms of another person and she slowly opened her eyes.  
  
Her heart stopped. Her eyes glistened with tears. Her thin arms quaked and she held in her breath. "Syaoran!" she yelled as her heart nearly burst in her chest and she threw her arms around his neck. Syaoran knelt with Sakura in his arms and put a hand on her cheek, the other bearing his sword. He looked into her eyes and spoke from his heart: "I'm sorry, for not being there."  
  
There was now a white light on coming down from the sky, the clouds had parted and the moon now shone. What Sakura saw in Syaoran's eyes deepened by what she felt from his soul; he pulsed with the vibrations of the Power and Dash cards as well as his own magic, they burned in him now.  
  
Syaoran then whipped his head around to find the demons. There they stood, watching, waiting. Syaoran took to his feet and drew two scrolls from his coat of Wind and Fire. With a thrust of his hand they went forth and dispelled, the wind fueling the fire and sweeping it across the demons, blinding them for an instant. Fueled by his anger, Syaoran, with the speed of the Dash and the strength of the Power leaped forth and with a vicious slash of his sword he tore it across the chest of the red-eyed demon and it let out a scream of pain more terrible than before.  
  
The demon was thrown to the ground by the sheer force of the strike. It held a hand over its chest where upon its dark form there was a deep, wide slash, which burned a bloody red as its eyes did. Syaoran stood between the group and the demons, sword at the ready. The demon stood as the other three stood around it. The red-eyed demon was angered as its luminous red blood ran down its dark form. It started forth for battle with this new foe but was stopped by the hand of smaller demon with eyes of blue flame.  
  
The blue-eyed demon formed a triangle with its fingers toward the group and closed its eyes. There was a great blinding light that didn't seem to come from anywhere but instead grew in everyone's minds. It lasted for a time and then faded and sight returned to all, they did not see all they had before, the demons were gone, as well as any sign of the battle, no fiery icescape, no holes in the wall where Eriol's guardians had crashed through. Everything was as it had been.  
  
There was silence and stillness. Like a gentile breeze the numbness of the moment passed. The silence was then utterly shattered: "Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!" Meling screamed as she careened into him knocking him down and landing on top of him, her arms firmly wrapped around his neck, possibly never to let go again. Syaoran sat up. "Meling." He uttered regretfully. "I owe you dance, don't I?"  
  
Sakura smiled at this familiar sight. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to find Eriol no longer bearing his wand or wearing his robes. She then took his outstretched hand and stood. Sakura had many questions for him but she felt that with the threat passed this night was no longer the time for questions. But there was one question she asked before thinking. "Is Touya.?" She said as she whipped her head in the rest of the groups direction only to find them walking toward them. To Sakura's surprise there seemed to be little wrong with her brother. He was walking toward her with Nakuru under his arm; she was now the one who seemed drained. Her eyes were half shut but Sakura could see clearly that they were set upon Touya. The others were to the two's sides and all seemed fine for the most part.  
  
Eriol said nothing, as he needed not to by the warm smile on Sakura's face at the site of her brother and all her friends safe at last. Syaoran and Meling came over to Sakura and Eriol as well did the others. Everyone looked to Eriol for direction but he kept it simple. "Let us go. The others are waiting for us to awake them in the dance." He said as the Sleep spell came to everyone's mind. All began walking back into the dance except Syaoran and Eriol for a brief moment. The rest continued into the dance.  
  
When just through the doors Touya's eyes came upon a sight and he paused for a moment. Sakura looked at him with question and noticed that Nakuru had a similar expression. Sakura asked "What is it, Touya?" He looked at Nakuru and they then slunk away without a word. On the floor at Sakura's feet asleep with the others were four people of about her brother's age. Yukito then stepped to Sakura's side to explain, somewhat.  
  
"They're Dorian, Traya, Roan, and Dieae, some friends from school." He said pointing to each. "Those two had some doubts about them at first but I guess this proves otherwise, right?"  
  
"Right!" Sakura said with a smile. "No one as pretty as them could be mean!" Though at that moment she didn't realize the fallacy of her words. Yukito then took Sakura's hand the two went to Tomoyo and Kero, waiting for them.  
  
Still outside, Syaoran stood next to Eriol and did not look directly at him. "It was you wasn't it?" He said. "The cherry blossoms."  
  
Eriol put a hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "As I have said: none of us are alone."  
  
Author's Notes: Don't worry, this isn't the last chapter. There are at least two more sections of chapters to go each consisting of at least four chapters each (ruff estimate).  
  
Also, special thanks to cherry-blossom and Anime Goddess for your great support of the story. You two, as well as all my other fans, have been encouragement and reward enough. Thanks.  
  
Preview synopsis for next chapter: With the dance and the battle behind them all are physically and emotionally drained. There are many questions to be answered but Eriol is keeping things to himself for some reason; he retires to his mansion hidden from all. While her brother and Nakuru recovering, Sakura is now writhe with curiosity and some suspicion. Li attempting to sort out his jumbled feelings rediscovers Kako's enchanted comb and seeks her out. The group rests to regain its strength, but what of the demon enemy? Kero and Spinel are concerned.  
  
Important Notice: For those who didn't know I've been revamping the chapters and I just finished. For the returning readers I'd like to invite you to read this story again from the beginning because I have not only re- vamped the chapters I have also completely re-written the first chapter as the previous one sucked ass. Thank you for your support and I hope you read and enjoy Possessors of the Clow into the future chapters and to its end. 


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